Outsiders
by phoenix catcher
Summary: Harry/Bart. Sorcerer:Harry. Harry is rescued from the Dursley's by a caring neighbour and raised on the run in the US. He ends up in Smallville and finds himself in the middle of someone else's destiny trying to forge a life for himself.
1. Fitting In

Outsiders

Disclaimer; I own neither Harry Potter nor Smallville therefore I take no credit for any characters or plots from either canon. I do however come up with my own additional plots.

Just an idea I got after buying my sister the forth season Smallville. For a change however I will be posting this under the Smallville heading since only parts of Harry Potter will be involved.

**Oh yeah. This will be SLASH, **nothing dramatic but it will be there and it probably **wont **be Clark/Josh. I don't know yet.

Chapter 1; Fitting in

"Joshua!" The fifteen year old teenager shot bolt upright in his bed as his uncle's voice boomed up the stairs. "I'm leaving and if I'm not too much mistaken unless you manage to get yourself ready in the next two minutes you'll be late for school!"

Josh looked to his nightstand and his eyes widened almost comically. His first day at a new school and he was going to be late. He was joining the school year late but he didn't much mind, he was used to it by now. Ever since his Uncle Kevin had rescued him from his abusive relatives at age eight they had moved from place to place, especially after Uncle Kev had explained his magical heritage and those that would want him to return.

Josh however had no intention of joining the world that his Uncle had described to him since he was happy in this life. Living with his Uncle free from his supposed fame given to him by his parents' deaths.

He jumped out of bed and threw on the first items of clothing that he came across, luckily that meant a pair of black combats and a red t-shirt from his clean cloths pile that had been dumped on the chest at the foot of his bed the previous evening in favour of spending the night with his Uncle before he returned to Metropolis.

It would be like this for as long as they stayed in this middle of nowhere town. There wasn't enough jobs in this town for medics with his Uncle Kev's experience so he had taken a job at Metropolis general and only come to Smallville when he could. Josh didn't mind particularly since he was used to being independent but he still wished that he would be able to spend more time with his surrogate uncle.

Josh glanced in the mirror to check his appearance, he'd rather start school late then arrive at a new school looking like he'd just slept in the streets. He vainly tried to smooth down his silver streaked raven hair which when straight just covered the tips of his ears and a high collar at the back. His eyes were as alive as ever, their emerald colour was one of the parts of his appearance he liked the most. And then the two parts of him he despised, firstly the three inch long scar that ran across the right of his throat just reaching the centre before it faded away and then the lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead that had a burn scar over it which at least he could easily hide with a dark green sweat band that only acted to mess up his hair further.

He never bothered to hide the scar on his neck since it looked like nothing more than an accident, the burn mark over a rather unnatural looking scar that adorned his forehead weren't as easily explained away so he hide them.

They were the reminder of his passed life and whilst he hated them it was their creation that had spurred an innocent neighbour like his Uncle Kev, the brother of a murdered muggleborn witch, to take action and then kidnap him when the local authorities turned a blind eye.

Josh tore his eyes from the scar and glanced at his watch realising that he had thirty minutes until he was supposed to meet his new headmaster and it was a half hour walk away. He darted into his bathroom to do his teeth, splash his face and anything else he could do in a rush before running from his room. He grabbed his bag on the way out of the house but it didn't yet have any book in it, only three sketchbooks, charcoal, pencils and wax crayons that he used to draw when he was bored.

They'd been in town three days now and last night his Uncle Kev had driven the route to school for him so that he could easily walk the route today. He had no doubt that he would miss a turning or get lost. He was freakishly observant and had a brilliant memory for details, hence why people told him his drawings were so lifelike.

It wasn't long before he was walking towards a three story flat-faced building that flew the Stars and Stripes above the door. Nobody was milling about like you'd expect so Josh knew that he had already missed the first bell. He walked into the door before glancing around to get directions. Luckily a sign on the far wall, next to a trophy cabinet, pointed all visitors to the right. Josh shrugged before following the corridor down towards a sign over a door stating 'Reception', another door after it declared the room behind it as being the Principle's office. Josh opted for the reception and walked through the ajar door.

He looked around the room at the three adults that milled around the office and a girl his age who sat on a set of chairs to the left. She had dark hair that hung down her back and a kind face. She hadn't noticed him though. He approached one woman who had just sat behind one of the desks and ran his hand over his hair in a self-conscious attempt to flatten it.

"Umm, excuse me?" He asked quietly to get the woman's attention. "I'm supposed to report to the Principles office." He said as she looked up.

"What have you done and which teacher sent you?" She asked with barely a glance. Josh frowned.

"Umm, sorry. I don't know what you mean." He told her apologetically. "This is my first day. My Uncle told me to come straight to see the Principle."

This time she did look right up at him. She looked him over, obviously trying to assess his character through his appearance which for Josh was never a good way to start since he always looked rather unkempt. She obviously agreed with that statement as she frowned at either his sweatband or his unruly, streaked hair. Josh wasn't sure which and honestly he didn't care.

A voice interrupted her before she could speak. "I'll take him." The dark haired girl from before spoke up making Josh jump in shock at the sudden intrusion. The receptionist frowned further but made a dismissive gesture all the same. "Come on." She beckoned to him and he followed her back out into the corridor and to the next door along. She knocked once and a muffled response from inside granted them entry.

She went in first and Josh followed her. The Principle was a rather intimidating man that reminded Josh strongly of a Principle he had had before moving here who had taken an instant dislike to him and kept it regardless of Josh's good grades and attentive behaviour.

"You'll be Joshua Ackervey then?" He asked him, though his gentler tone countered his harsh appearance.

"Yes Sir." Josh nodded before continuing sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I'm late. I had to walk in." It wasn't exactly a lie or even an excuse but it was true none the less.

"That's fine." The Principle told him before introducing himself and then looked to the girl who had remained behind. "I'm afraid I am rather busy at the moment. "This is Lana Lang. Luckily she has the same class schedule as you and this period free and has kindly offered to look after you for the day. Be sure to come see me at the start of next week so I can see how you are fitting in."

This seemed to amount to a dismissal from the older man since the girl, Lana smiled at him and nodded her head towards the door. He follow her out and paused beside her in the corridor.

"I'm sorry to cause you any inconvenience, Lana." Josh told her as soon as he could. "I could find my own way around if you'd like to go." He offered with a slightly crooked smile.

"Oh!" She seemed shocked that that was what he was thinking. "No, don't worry. I'm happy to show you around. You just stick with me today."

"Don't you have something better to do then show the new kid around?" He said as she started down the hallway. He had to jog slightly to catch up.

"Not really, we have to be in school during our frees and I would do more or less anything to avoid my friends in the torch." She explained with a grimace.

"What's wrong with your friends?" Josh asked. He only had a few friends and never went out of the way to befriend somebody since he always had to leave eventually anyway. He still kept up with a friend he had met in Metropolis but he was rather hard to contact since he got around a lot and never had a phone. So he was confused as to why she would so offhandedly avoid her own friends.

"No. Don't get me wrong, I love my friends but one of them is kinda obsessed with her job as editor. She likes us to write in the school paper and I don't really have the patience for that sort of thing." She told him with a quick glance.

"What is your sort of thing then?" Josh asked. Normally he never asked so many questions but she was a likeable person. Plus she hadn't judged him by his rather rebellious appearance yet which was always a good sign.

"Well, I like horse riding." She offered. "I also run the Talon."

Josh looked at her with a slight frown. "Sorry, what's the 'Talon'?"

"It's a coffee shop in town. It serves really good coffee, you can just sit and relax with your friends." She explained.

"How did you manage to run a coffee shop?" He asked confused. "Aren't you a bit young?"

"My partner is Lex Luthor, he deals with all the legalities." She explained.

"Right." Josh muttered. "Well I'm not that much of a coffee fan myself."

"That doesn't matter, we serve all kind of drink." Lana explained hastily. Josh didn't respond. "How about that tour then?"

Josh looked at her for a second wondering if she was seriously going to give him a tour. He had been to ten different schools in the last seven years and never once had the assigned student actually wanted to take him on a tour. "You're serious?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course I'm serious!" She seemed surprised that he had been so blunt.

"You actually want to bother to show me around?" She nodded slowly as if to a small child. "You're strange." Josh muttered quietly but by her smirk he knew that she had heard him.

"It's a small town, we don't get to meet new people very often." She said as she started walking away.

"Lucky you." Josh muttered bitterly before following her. He walked beside her for the next hour as she showed him around the school, to the gym, locker rooms, his own locker, the cafeteria and lastly, though reluctantly to the torch.

"This is the Torch." She said as she walked through the door ahead of him. He followed her as he had for the last hour and saw that three people were within. A girl with shoulder length blond hair was working on a computer by the window. Two boy stood to the side muttering to each other two quietly for him to hear. One was taller than most with unruly black hair, slightly longer than his own but of the same shade and with the same lack of neatness. He wore a rather unflattering plaid shirt and jeans whilst the other, a dark skinned, shorter boy with shaved hair wore more fashionable clothing.

All three looked up as they came in. "Is this the new kid?" The taller boy asked.

"Yeah. Everyone meet Joshua Ackervey." She gestured towards him and smiled at him comfortingly.

"Just Josh please." He muttered with a dip of his head.

The girl stepped around her desk. "My name's Chloe, I'm the editor of the Torch." She gestured at the shorter boy. "This is Pete," The boy nodded at him before Chloe continued. "And this is Smallville's own farm boy, Clark Kent."

Josh nodded at both boy's before Chloe led him to a chair under the window. He looked at the chair but realised that everyone was still standing so he turned and sat on a table that ran along the windowsill. "It's nice to meet you all." He said when they all looked at him weirdly.

"So, why you moving into town?" Pete asked him as he moved to claim a table in the middle of the room. Chloe rolled her eyes as the boy cleared a pile of papers to make room.

Josh shrugged slightly. "My Uncle works in Metropolis but wanted to live out in the countryside so he brought a house here."

"You're from Metropolis then?" Clark asked him from where he remained standing.

"Not really. I've moved ten times in the last five years. I was only in Metropolis for six months." Josh told them. He hated moving so often but he knew that his Uncle Kev was only looking out for him.

"That must be tough!" Pete said with a strange grin. "Does your Uncle travel into the city everyday then?"

"Nah." Josh shook his head. "We've only been in town for three days but he's just going to come home on the weekends. He works in the hospital."

"You're staying on your own?" Lana asked surprised.

"Yeah, why?" Josh didn't wait for an answer. "I can look after myself."

"Yeah, that's why you were late for your first day." Lana chuckled at him.

"I'm always late, I'm predictable that way." Josh returned her grin.

"Right, we've only got ten minutes till class starts and I've got to finish this." Chloe interrupted them all. "So you lot be quiet for a while." She ordered them bossily. Josh's eyebrows raised and he looked at Clark, Pete and Lana questioningly but only received resigned looks.

They settled to different tasks around the room and Josh, seeing that he had nothing else to do, pulled out his diary sketch book and opened it to the next blank page. He had two other books that he always carried. One was just a random sketch pad whilst the other was always kept locked and kept his secrets but he never liked to leave it alone in case he forgot what it contained.

He pulled a couple of pencils from his bag and started drawing. He was interrupted by Clark a few minutes later and looked up from the outlined sketch of the front of the school. "What's that?" Clark asked.

"It's the school." Josh said after removing the second pencil from his mouth.

"I can see that." Clark muttered amused. "I should've asked why."

"It's a diary." Josh told him.

"Most people write words in diary's you know." Was the response.

"Well, luckily I'm not most people." Josh told him. "Nobody can read my sketches like I can so their true secrets will always be hidden. Look."

Josh skipped a few pages backwards to a drawing of their new house. In front of it he'd drawn his Uncle with his arm around his own shoulder. "That's really good!" Josh jumped and dropped the book as Lana spoke up again at his shoulder.

"Jesus woman, don't you ever knock!" He gasped out getting a laugh from Pete and Clark. The latter passed him back the book and Josh frowned. "You caught that? You must have really good reflexes. Pete stopped laughing as Clark just shrugged. "Thanks." Josh said as he tucked the book back into his bag.

XOXOXOXOXOX

**Josh's house**

Josh opened the door just as the phone began ringing. He dropped his bag on the wooden floorboards and lifted the receiver.

"_Hey there, Josh." _His Uncle Kev's voice spoke.

"I didn't expect to hear from you this soon!" Josh told him happily. "How was your first day?"

"_Oh you know how it is." _Uncle Kev sighed. "_It's the same everywhere, the new doctor has all the tough jobs. How was your first day?"_

"I just got home actually. It was ok I suppose. They're a strange bunch but I suppose that's because they are a small town school." Josh told him.

"_Did you make any friends?"_

"Not really." Josh told him before hesitating. "Well there were a few that I spent the day with but it was only really because the Principle told this girl to show me around for the day because we had the same classes and then her friends tagged along but I don't think any of them are really interested in making new friends."

"_You never know though."_ His Uncle reminded him and got a non-committal grunt in response before continuing. "_What are you going to do tonight?"_

"I was thinking about going into town. The medical centres on the way so I can always pop in on the way. The girl that showed me around owns a coffee shop in town and told me I should stop by." Josh told him.

"_Are you going to volunteer at the medical centre again?"_

"I might as well. You know I like to help if I can." Josh told him. "I might as well make the most of it."

"_That's true." _His Uncle chuckled. "_It is your thing after all. I'll be home Friday afternoon so be good. I love you."_

"I love you too." Josh smiled even though his Uncle couldn't see his expression before he hung up.

XOXOXOXOXOX

**The Talon**

Josh paused outside the coffee shop and glanced through the door. There was a moderate crowd inside the building but that didn't bother him since most would ignore him anyway. Still large crowds in a new setting creeped almost anybody out. He pushed open the door and headed towards the counter at the far end of the room. Pillars stood within the oval shaped room and a cordoned off staircase circled the curved back of the room to the top floor.

He paused at the counter patiently as Lana finished serving a cup of coffee to another customer before turning to him. "Hey, Josh!" She smiled at him kindly. "How about a drink?"

"I'll have a hot chocolate if you've got it." Josh told her and handed her the money needed. He waited as she made it for him and took it with the proper gratitude.

"Why don't you go and sit with Chloe, Pete and Clark?" Lana offered. Josh turned slightly to see the group sitting on a curved bench against the wall with drinks on the table. They were happily laughing and joking together.

"Nah, that's ok. I'll get a table." He turned back to Lana with a small smile.

"They wont mind." Lana told him, "Every new kid needs a helping hand to start with."

"They seem to be happy and I'm sure they don't want me disturbing them." Josh told her. It was one thing he hated every time he moved, there were always a few that took pity and tried to help him fit in even though they didn't really want to. "Besides, I need to fill in this application. Do you have a pen I could borrow?"

Lana reached to the side of the till and passed him a black biro before speaking, though she had given up on trying to get him to sit with her friends. "What are you applying for? A job?"

"Not really, I just offered to volunteer at the medical centre but they need me to fill in a normal application before they can accept." Josh told her. "I do that in every place I've been."

"Why?"

"I like to help when I can." He shrugged, "You wouldn't understand. It's a normalcy thing." He told her before turning towards an empty table on the other side of the room to her friends. She wouldn't understand since she always had familiarity around her. When you moved at least once a year you looked for things that were the same in all places and for Josh that was volunteering at the hospitals or animal clinics.

He sat on his own for a while, periodically going between studying those in the room, drinking his slowly cooling hot chocolate and filling in his details on his application. He'd drop it back in on the way home. He'd spoken to one of the doctors on his way into town and she'd excepted his help when she had heard that he had helped out at other hospitals, retirement homes and clinics. No doubt she would call one of his previous hospitals doctors to check up on his story but she had gladly welcomed somebody around that would just talk to lonely patience, make sure they ate and were given the time to realise that somebody cared.

Once he finished his application it went into his bag and his diary came out. He sneaked glances of the three across the room as he sketched them and Lana who he added to the scene as if she wasn't serving customers but instead just relaxing with her friends. He knew from the way they reacted together that they had known each other all of their lives but he also noticed that Chloe had a small thing for Clark though she probably hadn't admitted it and that there was a certain tension between Pete and Clark that he guessed wasn't usual in their friendship.

Clark rather obviously had a crush on Lana and by Chloe and Pete's reactions that day it was obviously to everyone and not just the observant Josh. He had managed to capture most of that in his drawing and was studying it when a shadow fell over him making him look up. He didn't bother to hide the sketch since the person had already undoubtedly seen it and it didn't matter to him since his private sketches went into his locked book still in his bag.

Chloe stood over him with a small smile as she appreciated him sketch. "You know, I don't have an artist for the Torch and I'm in dire need of one."

"Are you just informing me of that or do you have something else to say." Josh said as he closed his pad and put it away.

"I'd like you to draw for the Torch, you'll get extra credit." Chloe offered.

"Sorry." Josh looked up at her again before standing. "I don't draw for anybody but myself." His sketches were his release. His Uncle and his sketches were his life and he wasn't about to allow hundreds of people to scrutinise either one. He moved around her and walked to Lana who had just recently sat to chat to Clark and Pete and presumably Chloe before she had come over. "Thanks for lending me the pen." He told her as he handed the biro back and turned to leave.

"See you tomorrow." Lana called out as he walked from the room. He half turned back to her and nodded to her with a small smile.

Before he left he heard Pete speak. "Does he have a problem or what?" He also heard the sound of a hand smacking his arm and he smiled again before the door closed behind him.

XOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	2. Willing Recluse

Outsiders

A/N; This chapter coincides with the Smallville Episode 2:4 which is called 'Red,' where Clark is exposed to red meteor rock and goes rebel on us. The details included in this chapter in reference to that episode is purely what Josh sees and therefore not a lot. The other events that take place are not important to my plot but if you have trouble understanding something than please ask and I will try to answer as much as possible.

Chapter 2; Willing Recluse

**Smallville medical centre**

Josh's life had been going well in Smallville the last two weeks, no matter the cracks he made to the others about being in the middle of nowhere he did like the peaceful atmosphere and the fact that people knew each other. He had made a habit of visiting the Talon every evening to sketch things. It wasn't really for the company that he went but he enjoyed watching the people around him even if he wasn't friends with any of them as well as that he didn't enjoy being on his own in the new house since it was quite a bit larger than he was used to.

He had started a hesitant friendship with Lana though he kept it at either the school or the Talon. She would smile at him in school as they moved between classes and they would chat for a short time whenever he was in the Talon but other than that he kept to himself. Lana's friends obviously weren't too troubled over his isolationist ways since they accepted his tentative friendship with Lana but didn't seem bothered to befriend him themselves.

He volunteered at the hospital on the weekdays after school for three hours and normally got food from the cafeteria staff which meant that he didn't have to cook for himself when his Uncle was in the city.

He turned the corner and stepped out of the way of a hospital trolley as he carried a bunch of flowers to a patient he had been trying to see all morning. A boy in his class at school that had been put in a coma during the weekend after a car had swerved off of the road at sent him flying through a shop window. He hadn't responded to any treatment since then and Josh hoped that he would be able to help.

He walked into the private room and looked at the boy in the bed. He was the year below Josh and he could remember only seeing him once in the hall last week. The cuts and scrapes had dulled to thin pink lines that probably wouldn't even scar. The only thing left on his face was a plaster on his forehead where he had caught it against the counter top of the shop he had landed in. Josh set the flowers from an Aunt on the bed side table along with the three others already there and lifted the chart.

He had spent enough time in hospitals and been taught by the odd nurse here and there in how to read the charts and he skimmed it. There were no serious internal injuries and the doctor didn't believe that any of the cuts would remain beyond three weeks. The coma would a product of a concussion, the doctor didn't expect 'Kyle' to awaken any time soon but the longer he remained unconscious the worse he would get. It was the worse thing that could've happened. The impact with the car had done nearly no damage but the landing might cause him to live his life in a coma.

Josh shut the blinds swiftly leaving the room in darkness before he placed both of his hands on the boys head. Immediately his hands began to heat up. It took time but as Josh listened to the steady beeping of the monitor he knew from the drain on him that it was working. Fixing problems in the brain was always much more tiring then healing cuts or similar problems. It was his ability, Uncle Kev had told him that according to his sister, the witch, certain Wizards had innate abilities that they could control without a focus like a wand. It made them Sorcerers and they weren't entirely trusted by the Wizards since their magic couldn't be blocked. Josh found that stupid since his ability could only heal others and not hurt them. He had discovered the gift when he had befriended an old lady in one of the first hospitals he had volunteered at. She had died in front of him and he had reacted. Luckily, his Uncle Kev was the only one to witness the act that had left him unconscious for four days.

It taught him a lesson though, no matter how much power he used he couldn't reverse death. It only exhausted him completely and left the other dead. He opened his eyes as the beat of the monitor sped up to signal that the coma had lifted. He staggered slightly as he stepped backwards and withdrew his hand from Kyle's head as the boy's eyes flickered.

He opened the blinds quickly and went back to the bedside just as Kyle's eyes flickered open. To anybody else it would just seem that his injuries had healed enough to allow him to awaken but even that small amount had made Josh tired.

"Welcome back. How are you feeling?" Josh asked wanting to make sure the boy was on the mend before giving him other to the doctor where it would then be too risky to heal him further without notice. He had had to be very careful to stop his healing ability from closing the cuts and scrapes so that he wouldn't be found out.

"My head hearts." He groaned.

"I'm not surprised." He reached over and pushed the button on the side of the monitor which would call the nurses station. "Can you remember what happened?"

"I remember a car but that's it." Kyle told him.

"You were thrown through a shop window and hit your head on a counter top. The car didn't do too much damage compared to that." Josh chuckled lightly. Kyle groaned and shut his eyes and Josh's healing ability told him that he had rather a bad headache. "Don't worry the nurses are on their way."

Even as he said it a nurse opened the door and walked in. "What happened, Josh?"

"He woke up whilst I was putting his flowers on the table." Josh told her. "He says he's got a bad headache but he doesn't seem to still have a concussion."

"I'll call his doctor." She nodded at Josh and left the room.

"You'll be fine." Josh told Kyle. He stayed with them until the Doctor had finished his check up and even offered to call Kyle's parents to get them to come into the hospital.

XOXOXOXOX

**The Talon, the next day.**

Josh walked into an empty Talon. It was a Saturday morning and thus the coffee shop was closed. Lana had asked him earlier to help her, Clark, Chloe and Pete study for their upcoming mid-terms since he seemed to effortlessly managed all of his school work. When he arrived only Pete, Lana and Chloe were there. He nodded at them as he dropped his bag to the floor beside the table.

"Hey, Josh." Chloe smiled at him. Whilst Pete and Clark never really seemed to warm up to him she always had a greeting for him though this time it seemed to be because he was helping them out. "I'm glad you could come, none of us are that good with History."

"How do you manage to keep up your grades?" Lana asked as he sat on the end of the table they were around. "You volunteer at the hospital all week and seem to almost casually keep up with work."

"When you move to different schools throughout the year you tend to pick up how to cope with changing workloads." Josh shrugged. "I've already been to one school this term and my classes there were studying completely different things than this. I have to teach myself most of the time to make sure I know everything I need."

"Sounds hard to me." Muttered Pete but Josh was interrupted from responding as Clark walked in. Josh frowned at the boy as he took in the more confident stride, the slightly arrogant look and the more rebellious clothing as well as the sunglasses.

"Hey Clark!" Lana said as she stood up and met him half way. Josh watched them as Pete and Chloe poured over a test they had just done. Something was off with Clark, he was talking to Lana as if he'd either just got a backbone when it came to the girl or as if he had had a drink or two. At one point, just before they came other he said something that made Lana blush and duck her head.

"Hey man." Pete smiled at his friend. "Where's your books?"

"You guys wanna go to a bar?" Clark asked with a grin making all of them recoil at the suddenness of the query.

"Clark, you and Josh might be able to commit academic Harikari," Chloe pointed out, "but the rest of us really need to cram for this test."

Clark gave Josh a rather harsh look as if just realising that he was there. "You guys, high school is supposed to be fun. This is not fun. Come on, my treat." Clark offered.

"Clark," Pete diverted Clark's attention from the girls. "When did you and the money truck hook up?"

"Since I decided that there's no percentage in playing poverty." Clark told them with a small shrug.

"I'm going to get a refill and I'm going to get you a decaf." Chloe told Clark.

"Yeah, I'll give you a hand." Lana put in. "Josh, you want something?"

Josh, realising that he was about to be left at the table with Pete and a rather strange Clark got up with them. "I'll come with you." He followed them up and could just make out a conversation behind them at the table as Lana slaved away with the machine. "Has he ever acted like that before?"

"Not normally, but he does have his moments." Chloe laughed. "One thing you can count on from Clark is his secrets."

"What secrets?" Josh asked with a frown.

"Nobody knows." Lana sighed. "One moment you think you know him and then he does something like this to surprise you."

"And make you wish you didn't know him?" Josh asked them.

They didn't answer as they headed back to the table with their drinks. Pete and Clark were arguing about something and Josh realised with shock that Clark had his diary and his random sketch book open on the table as he flicked through it as Pete tried to close them. "What do you think you're doing?" Josh cried as he closed the gap.

Clark stood up as he slammed the books closed and lifted them in his hand casually. "Just wanted to know why you were so obsessed we've these." Clark sneered at him. "I mean come on, you've gotta have a few screws loss with some of these pictures."

"Clark!" Lana snapped. "Give those back to him."

Clark ignored him as he met Josh's glare evenly. "You know, I've wanted to know ever since you arrived what was under that band." Josh tried to dodge the swipe even as Clark mentioned it but he was far slower than Clark and he felt himself stagger at the harsh way that Clark pulled the band off of his head.

He heard Pete, Chloe and Lana gasp slightly as they saw the burn mark on his forehead. He ignored them as he closed in on Clark and tried to swipe the three books from him. He managed to get his diary and the random one but his locked one remained steadily grasped in Clark's hand as he swung it back an forth lightly. "So what did you do to get that?" Clark teased as he gestured at the neck scar and the burn mark. "Or did your parents give it to you before kicking you out?"

He dimly heard the others gasp again but he was too busy seeing red. More anger than he had felt since he had left his relative's flooded him and he took a step back. He heard a crack as a glass on the table fell over but he paid it no mind as Clark tried to open the diary. "Give that to me, Kent!" Josh told him quietly.

"You keep it locked?" Clark said ignoring his order. "What's in this? Some deep dark secret you don't want everyone to see?"

"That's none of your business!" Josh snapped angrily and flinched away from the table along with the others as the flower vase exploded across the room sending glass shards everywhere. The door slammed open as a wind blew in from the road.

"Whatever!" Clark shrugged non-perturbed by the glass as he brushed it off of his jacket. He threw the book carelessly onto the table and spun on his heel and within two strides was gone.

Josh stood shaking as the anger drained out of him. He hated feeling angry, any other emotion didn't bother him but anger reminded him too much of his relatives and what they did to him.

"What the hell was that?" Chloe gasped as they ignored him for the moment.

"The wind must have blown the vase over." Pete told them, obviously not noticing that the vase had fallen over and exploded before the wind started. Josh knew that it had been accidental magic but wasn't about to offer the information up for debate.

Josh grabbed the book off of the table and put it into his bag with the other two before he slung the bag over his shoulder. "Are you alright?" He turned to see Lana offering him his silver sweat band that Clark had thrown on the ground. He took it from her without speaking and slipped it over his head musing up his hair even more in the process. "Clark's not like that normally."

"Then how do you explain that?" He snapped.

"He'd never have said anything like that. It's not like him." Chloe assured him but she glassed up at his forehead and Josh could see the curiousness in her eyes.

"My business and my past is none of your business. Even the almighty Kent has no right to question me like that." Josh snapped at them as they defended him.

"I'm sorry, Josh." Lana said though it wasn't her fault. "Clark's normally really polite and kind."

"Then perhaps you don't know him as well as you thought you did!" He snarled at them before turning his back on them and walking from the room. "Stay away from me Lana. All of you."

XOXOXOXOX

**At home**

Josh ignored his Uncle Kev as he arrived home in the early afternoon and instead went straight up to his room. He fell onto his bed with tears on his cheeks as he pulled his locked diary open. He pressed his finger to the keyhole and it unlocked as the magical gift from his Uncle, a former present from his sister, registered his presence without needing a key. He opened the book and began flipping through the pages.

The first and worst of all of them was a picture he had sketched in great detail from a photo that his Uncle had gotten from the Wizarding bank when they closed his accounts before leaving. It was a picture of the house he was born into. The upper floor of the picture was in ruins, blown outwards by what looked like a huge explosion. The trees surrounding the house were burnt and scarred and debris littered the grass gardens.

He flipped steadily through the pictures as he relived his childhood. Everything bad that had happened to him was in these pages. His relatives' house in Surrey, looking so immaculate it looked wrong. His cupboard full of torn blankets and spiders from his own viewpoint. A picture of a furious Vernon done in charcoal to lessen the likeness that he couldn't stand.

It went on in that strain as it described the worst events in his life with even a few happening after his 'kidnapping.' A destroyed house set on fire by Wizards sent to hunt him and his Uncle which they hadn't already left two hours before thanks to a friend in the town who had heard them asking about them as well as the old woman that Josh had tried to save when he had discovered his gift.

He turned the next page and pulled out his wax crayons from his bag. We've these as his tools he drew out the confrontation between himself and Clark Kent. He depicted Clark tearing off his sweatband as he surveyed the work in his locked diary even though that part hadn't happened. It was the one thing he truly had been worried about. People would never accept him if they discovered what was in there.

He was just putting the finishing touches to an angry looking scar on his own neck when his door opened and his Uncle walked inside. "What's the matter, Josh?" He asked before spying the book in Josh's hands. He was sitting on the bed beside Josh in an instant. "What happened?"

Josh didn't bother to explain but just tilted the book so that his Uncle could clearly see Clark Kent's actions. His Uncle ran a finger over the detailed work before sighing. "He did this?"

Josh nodded and collapsed against his Uncles side with his head resting on the brown haired man's shoulder as his Uncle continued. "From what I've heard around town he wouldn't do something like that." Josh didn't offer anything. "So he tore off your band and stole your book?"

Josh nodded but still remained silent. "People have revealed your scar and stolen your book before, they cant open it so why is this time so bad?"

Josh knew he'd have to explain so he told his Uncle Kev everything that had been said including Clark's accusation that his parents had given him the scars before kicking him out and even about him becoming angry enough to shatter the vase in front of so many witnesses and calling up the wind though that wasn't as obvious. He didn't notice the wondering and rather worried look that came over his Uncle's face.

"You rest up." His Uncle Kev told him. "I'll bring you up something to eat before I call the Kent's and question them on this." Josh lay back and shut his eyes and felt his Uncle kiss his forehead right on the burn mark since it was now uncovered in the telling of his tale before he heard the door closed and he slipped into a troubled sleep filled with his parents trying to cut his throat.

XOXOXOXOX

**School; Monday**

Josh had spent most of the rest of the weekend in the house, he hadn't gone into town with his Uncle like they normally did on Sundays and instead stayed at home to watch some films on the television. He had tried to convince his Uncle Kev to let him stay home but even though his Uncle was now in Metropolis till Wednesday evening he had made sure to make Josh promise to go into school. And that was why he was now walking down the corridors of his school to the cafeteria for lunch. He had spent the first two classes knowing that Clark Kent had been staring at him for some reason and Josh dreaded finding out why. He had thought to leave his locked diary at home but he couldn't find the courage to discard it as if that simple act would force him to confront those memories.

"Josh!" He heard Clark Kent yell down the corridor. He paused slightly before he turned a corner and turned only when he heard the boy's footsteps stop behind him. Clark looked worried beyond words and he was fiddling with his shoulder strap nervously.

"What do you want, Kent?" Josh asked without emotion.

"I just wanted to apologise for what I did on Saturday at the Torch." Clark told him. "I wasn't myself and I'm really sorry for what I said and did. My parents got a call from your Uncle about it and I would never have caused you so much pain if I was thinking straight."

"And you weren't acting like yourself?" Josh asked him sceptically. "Why should I believe something so ridiculous!"

"I cant explain it. Please just believe me!" Clark protested. "I would never do something like that. All I want is for you to forgive this so we can try and start again."

"I don't forgive people that simply, Kent." Josh stared at him coldly as he nervously itched at the sweatband over his scar. It wasn't done on purpose but he knew that Clark's eyes were drawn to where it hid the burn mark. "If you want to try to be friends you have to work at it. Even if you weren't yourself you wanted to know my secrets and that will never happen until I can trust you. I'm willing to give you a chance to prove yourself."

"Thank you." Clark smiled at him gratefully.

Josh turned but paused and turned his head back to face Clark. "Don't throw that chance away, Kent."

XOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	3. Healing

Outsiders

Chapter 3; Healing

**The Talon; A few months later**

Josh's life in Smallville was quiet for the most part. He had gotten so used to city life since it was the easiest place to start a new life that this small town was starting to rapidly grown on him. Uncle Kev had agreed seen how happy Josh was in this quaint little town and because of his own job in Metropolis he had agreed that they would stay there for at least a year to give Josh some normality in his life. It would be the longest they had stayed in one place before.

Josh hadn't seen his Uncle for the last ten or so days and though that was usual it was rather lonely. He had spent a lot of the last two months at the Talon or at the hospital but only really talked to Lana at any frequent rate. On occasion he spoke to Chloe but she always managed to bring up him drawing for the school paper which he had no interest in since his drawing were all very personal. Clark and he had a tentative friendship, they didn't talk to each other at school apart from passing greetings but they weren't at each others throats as much as they used to be.

He had become a usual sight at the Talon, sitting in the corner near the counter watching people walk passed as he sketched in his books. Lana would sit and talk to him on occasion and he'd tell her of his moving around. She had been concerned to begin with that he was alone at home ninety percent of the time but he had brushed it off. He had more money than he needed since he and his Uncle had liberated his families money from his Gringotts vault before they had left England and knowing that on the off chance that he was discovered as a run-away his Uncle Kev had filed for emancipation two years before whilst on the East coast and been granted it though he kept that part to himself.

He didn't know why he was there that evening. Lana had asked him at school that evening whether he'd be at the Talon and when he had said yes she had told him that there'd be a party for an old friend of Clarks that had returned.

He had soon discovered that by party she meant surprise party and by friend she had meant a fourteen year old waive of a boy who wasn't the least bit surprised by the sudden mass of people wishing him well. Josh stayed out of the way for the most part but with his seat near the counter he inevitably drew Clark's attention.

"I didn't know you'd be here." Clark said as he brought the young teenager over. Something about the boy immediately caught his attention and Josh looked him over with a frown.

"The Talon isn't exactly closed for regular business." Josh pointed out with a frown which turned into a small smile as Lana came over to them.

"Did you want another drink, Josh?" She asked him but he just shook his head as the small boy tilted his head up and stood on his tip toes to talk to Clark quietly. He frowned.

"No thanks, Lana." Josh told her. "I should be going soon, I'm working tomorrow at the hospital."

Josh spun back to Clark and the boy when he felt his healing powers twinge in anticipation. The boy was looking rather pale.

"Are you ok?" Josh asked with concern.

"Ryan?" Clark turned slightly to face him. "What's wrong?"

"Just a headache." Ryan admitted with a pained look.

"I'll get you a glass of water." Lana told him before walking off.

"You sure you're ok?" Clark asks his much shorter friend.

Ryan just nodded. Josh smiled at the fourteen year old. "Perhaps you should get a doctor to check you out?" Josh offered. "At least get some fresh air."

"Josh volunteers at the hospital." Clark explained to Ryan before turning on Josh. "He's got an appointment tomorrow, maybe we'll see you there."

"Maybe." Josh shrugged but tilted his head. "I've really got to go. Say bye to Lana for me?"

"Sure thing, Josh." Clark nodded.

"Take care, Ryan." Josh nodded at the small boy and made his way out of the Talon and home.

XOXOXOXOXOX

**The Hospital; The next morning**

It was mid morning and Josh was scanning through the entry reports for anything that he could do. In the last two months he'd helped around fifteen people who would've been permanently hurt if he hadn't been around to help. He tended to keep his work on those that wouldn't have died anyway since healing the dying took too much out of him. He hated having to be helpless but if he collapsed he would draw suspicion. Those that would heal on their own without detrimental effects he'd also not help since it was unnecessary.

He opened a stack of files. The nurses tended to leave him be for the most part, he'd search through the files and reports and pick those that did have visitors to keep them company. In doing this he also found the ones that needed his help. In the East Wings stack he found one that surprised him. Ryan from the Talon last night had been rushed in about an hour ago with severe head pains. He made his way to the nurses station and after a few warm greetings he asked about him.

"He was brought here an hour ago but he's still unconscious. He's got a friend with him. Why?" The nurse asked him.

"I met him last night." Josh explained before walking off through the maze of corridors to find him.

Clark was sitting by the bed side in the private room reading a comic when he arrived. "I didn't take you for a comic book man." Josh said with humour lacing his voice.

"Josh!" Clark snapped his head up as he shut the comic. "It's a present for Ryan when he wakes up."

"What happened?" Josh asked motioning to the sleeping Ryan.

"He collapsed at the Luthor Mansion." Clark told him. "You working?"

"Yeah. Read his report and thought I'd check up on him." Josh shrugged.

"Have they found anything yet?" Clark asked him. "They wont tell me anything until he wakes up."

Josh shrugged and grabbed the chart on the bottom of the bed and flipped it open to reveal the medical writing that Clark wouldn't be able to understand. He frowned as he read it and took in a breath. "They've scheduled some more tests for when he wakes up."

"Yeah, that's what they told my parents." Clark nodded. "Anything else."

"You not going to like it but the tests are only for confirmation. There's a tumour in his head, Clark." Josh stopped short when the body on the bed stirred an awoke. "I'll leave you alone and let the doctors know he's awake."

With that he walked out and let the nurses know that Ryan had awoken before he went off in search of Clark's parents which he guessed would be around here. He found them in the waiting area along with Doctor Kennedy, the neural surgeon at the hospital. "Josh isn't it?" Clark's father said and Josh nodded whilst shaking his hand.

Josh turned to the Doctor. "Ryan's just woken up." He watched as the Doctor retreated down the hallway before turning back to a rather upset Martha Kent. "I take it he told you what's wrong?"

Martha sobbed slightly and her husband, Jonathan, wrapped his arm around her in comfort. "He's such a good boy." She muttered. "He's been through so much. For something like this to happen…"

She broke off and Jonathan led her to a seat. Josh noticed Clark heading their way so looked to Jonathan. "Did you both want a cup of coffee…or tea?"

"Two coffees would be great if its not too much trouble." He admitted. Josh nodded quickly before walking away towards the cafeteria. They'd happily give him the two drinks as they always did when he was helping the relatives of dying patients.

He returned less than ten minutes later with the drinks to find Clark holding his mother quietly, he didn't speak up since it wasn't his place so he just left the hot drinks with Clark and disappeared back through the hospital. The rest of his shift he spent wondering whether he had the strength to heal something like a tumour. He'd never done it before. Theoretically it was only a growth of unwanted cells and his abilities would revert them back to normal, his worry was that he wouldn't be able to get rid of the whole thing. Then again even taking off ten percent of the tumour would increase Ryan's life span and then he could just treat him again and again until he was sure it was gone. The problem was since it was a brain infirmity Ryan would have to be awake for it to work. Josh couldn't heal anything to do with the brain if the patient was asleep which meant that they found out about him. He only hoped that Ryan could keep his secret since he wasn't selfish enough to let a fourteen year old boy die to keep his secret.

He ran into Doctor Kennedy near to the end of his shift who told him that he'd sedated Ryan to give him some rest for the night but that if nothing changed he had a few more days left to him.

XOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Josh stayed in the Talon most of Sunday knowing that Clark and his parents would be with Ryan most of the day. He'd go in after visiting hours and do what he could. Just before he left the Talon, Lana stopped him and told him that Clark had managed to get a Doctor to come to try to treat Ryan. Josh thanked her for the information and told her to give Ryan and Clark his best wishes before he left.

He arrived at the hospital a little passed six and since it was a Sunday proper visiting hours had ended. He still noticed Clark and his parents in the waiting area. Their names were on the kin list for Ryan so obviously they had been allowed to wait for him to awaken. Josh passed them silently and headed for the nurses station, he greeted them happily and check for Ryan's room number to make sure it hadn't changed and finding that it hadn't he went straight there.

The chart said that Ryan had been operated on at noon that day but that the treatment hadn't accomplished more than buying him a few extra days. He'd been out of the influence of sedatives for the last two hours which meant that Josh could wake him. He shut the blinds so that people passing the room couldn't see anything strange and as a precaution moved one of the chairs to jam the door so that he'd at least have a seconds warning before someone saw him but still not suspect that he had tried to block the door.

He nudged Ryan's shoulder and was awarded with a low groan as the teenager only two years younger than him awoke. "Hey there, Ryan." Josh greeted him as his eyes opened. "How are you feeling?"

"Headache." Was the simple response. "Did it work?"

"It bought you a few more days." Josh answered. "Nothing more."

"Where's Clark?" Ryan asked as he looked to the side and then shook his head trying to focus on the room. "Who are you?"

"I'm Josh from the Talon, remember?" Josh asked and got a nod in response. "Clark's in the waiting room. Before I get him though I want to ask you something."

"What?" He grunted.

"Can you keep a secret?" Josh asked. "If I help you will you keep my secret?"

"Help me?" Ryan asked confused.

"Yes. I can help you but you have to promise not to tell anyone. I cant help people if anyone else knows." Josh asked. He didn't think that Ryan was really lucid enough to understand him and he'd treat him either way but he still wanted to asked.

"You're so quiet." Ryan muttered but nodded at Josh as this spoke of everything about him. Josh shook his head before laying a hand under the back of Ryan's neck. He couldn't risk touching where the surgery had gone in and the back of the neck was the easiest place to access the brain anyway since their wasn't as much bone in the way.

"This will feel a bit strange." Josh warned and instantly opening up his healing powers. His hand glowed white and the light started to flow into Ryan like water soaking into a sponge. Ryan's eyes went wide and glowed eerily white as the magic swirled around his brain. Ryan's eyes focused on him and Josh kept eye contact until he began to feel exhausted. The light faded first from Ryan's eyes and then from Josh's hand before Josh sagged back onto the bed.

Josh brought a hand to his head and gasped. "Now who's got a headache?"

"I saw your memories?" Ryan gasped out making Josh snap his head round to face him in horror. "I can read people's thoughts but I couldn't read yours until just then. What did you do?"

"I can heal people." Josh told him quickly getting over the mind reading part since it wasn't the strangest he'd heard of.

"You healed me?" Ryan gasped. "But I can still hear everyone!"

"Everyone?" Josh asked in confusion glancing around the room.

"I can hear everyone's thoughts in the hospital." Ryan admitted. "I'll keep your secret if you keep mine." He grinned suddenly.

"Agreed." Josh nodded. "I couldn't heal you completely, you'll have to wait for the scans to find out how much I did but I can keep going once I have the energy until it's completely gone."

Ryan nodded happily. "Thank you."

"I'm sure you would've done the same if our places were reversed." Josh told him. "I'll go let the others know you're awake and remember you promised. Nobody right?"

"Nobody, I promise."

"Good. I'll see you soon." Josh promised before he opened the blinds and opened the door. He told the nurses that Josh was awake before heading for the waiting area. He approached Clark and his parents carefully.

"You don't look like you're working today." Clark frowned. "Why are you here?"

"I was just checking the rota for this week." Josh explained. "I just passed Ryan's room and just thought I'd let you know on my way out that he's awake." Josh almost laughed at the speed that he was suddenly alone as the trio rushed off. Clark wasn't that bad sometimes, he just wasn't the type of person that he hit it off with straight away.

XOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Josh returned to the hospital the next day after school to hear the good news from the Kent's that the treatment had started to decrease the size of the tumour and they were hoping that the effect would continue through the next few weeks until the tumour was destroyed entirely. The specialist Doctor was ecstatic about the results but also confused as to the speed of the recovery. Clark didn't seem to have any idea that he had helped Ryan since neither said anything about it when he walked into Ryan's private room the next day and half-heartedly scolded Ryan for being out of his bed since he was being held tightly in Clark's arms.

Ryan backed away with a small smile and Josh saw the tears in his eyes before he could brush them away. "Are you feeling better?" Josh asked.

Ryan obviously was far smarter than most fourteen year olds as he instantly caught Josh's rather covert question. "Yeah!" He said. "The Doctor's said there was almost a thirty percent decrease in the tumours size."

"That's excellent." Josh said, "Soon you'll be right as rain."

Josh wasn't actually volunteering that day but the faster he treated Ryan the less chance it would come back at a later date. He spent the next hour or so wandering the halls having small chats with patients that he recognised. A lady in her forties with a broken leg who's family lived on the East coast and he had been emailing for her. A small boy who's parents worked till late who was in hospital for a long weekend after he had fallen down the stairs and so on.

It was until the third time he passed Ryan's room that he found him alone. He shut the room up as before and turned to find Josh watching him carefully. "Why cant I read your thoughts?"

Josh shrugged his shoulders slightly, "Maybe my healing ability formed some sort of defence, who knows." Josh didn't waste any time in placing a hand on the back of Ryan's neck whilst the younger boy was sitting up right. His hand glowed white again and the magic flowed into Ryan's brain and straight to the tumour. Five minutes later he broke the contact and groaned as another headache rocked his head and he sat heavily on the bed.

"Do you always get a headache?" Ryan asked.

"I temporarily get a lesser version of what I heal." Josh admitted.

"You've got my tumour!?" Ryan cried as he reeled backwards.

"Only temporarily. It fades within hours as my own body heals it." Josh assured him. "It's why I cant heal those that are too close to death. It would kill me and still kill the other person."

"But my tumour was fatal." Ryan protested.

"Not really." Josh pointed out. "It's effects were fatal but the tumour itself is just mutated cells. Easy enough to heal. It takes so much out of me because it's in your brain. I cant imagine what your headaches were like if I only have a fraction of it now."

That made Ryan laugh. "I've barely noticed my headache today. Thank you again."

"Like I said, you'd heal people too if you could." Josh protested.

"But you've given me a life." Ryan pointed out.

"Lana told me you're a run away." Josh asked and received a nod in return. "What are you going to do now?"

A rather stricken look appeared on his face. "I don't know. I didn't even mention it to Clark."

"Perhaps you should." Josh suggested. "I'm off home now, my Uncle's home for two days. I'll be back tomorrow to see you since I doubt they'll let you out before then."

XOXOXOXOXOX

**Josh's home**

Josh was just putting the finishing touches on a coloured drawing of Ryan in his private diary when the houses front door opened. He took a last glance at the drawing and smiled softly at it. It showed Ryan sitting up with his shoulders, covered by the blue hospital shift, just visible. His eyes glittered with that internal white light and his head was surrounded by waves of magic though if someone saw the drawing they would guess to what it really was.

His Uncle walked through the door and Josh leapt up and hugged the man tightly. "Hey there, Josh. Miss me?"

Josh chuckled and let the man go. "It's been lonely." Josh admitted before telling his Uncle everything that had happened since he'd left including healing Ryan and what he knew of Ryan's position.

"We could always offer to put him up. We've got plenty of room and who better to monitor his health than a Doctor and a volunteer at the local hospital." Kev suggested. "That's if it's ok with you."

Josh smiled happily before leaving the room to start dinner whilst his Uncle went to take a shower. Josh would have to talk to Clark at school tomorrow and even though he wasn't happy with putting himself on the spot there wasn't many other options. The Kent's were nice people but their financial problems weren't a secret. Josh wasn't sure they had either the space or the resources to put up another child. Especially one that wouldn't be able to help out on a farm for at least a month as he recovered.

Josh had always wished for a little brother but the question was whether Ryan would accept the offer with the knowledge that his Uncle Kev and himself moved around a lot.

XOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	4. Having a Family

Outsiders

Chapter 4; Having a Family

**Josh's house**

Josh and his Uncle Kev spoke to the Kents and social services the next day about where Ryan would go. The Kents had offered to put him up but it was clear to everyone that it would be far easier for Ryan to stay with Josh since they had plenty of room and also he would get medical attention around the clock as long as Uncle Kev was there.

It took a few hours to iron everything out but in the end it was decided that the best place for Ryan to go was to Josh's house, something that even Clark had to admit was true, their house just wasn't big enough for another person and their finances weren't what Josh and his uncle could offer.

Ryan was more then happy to live with Josh, someone that he had gotten to know well in only a few days, he had made it clear that he wanted to spend time with Clark and Josh's Uncle wouldn't have even dreamed of stopping him.

Josh had just shown Clark out of the house after he had helped tidy up the third bedroom upstairs and move their young friend in. He wandered back upstairs to find Ryan tucked into his covers with Josh's sketch book, the one he filled with random pictures.

"How are you feeling?" Josh asked as he settled down on the end of the bed propping himself up on one elbow.

"Better thanks." Ryan looked up at him with a smile. "It's nice to be out of the hospital. It's nice to have somewhere like this to stay."

"You're not just staying here. This is your home now." Josh told the younger boy with a small smile.

"At least I cant hear anything anymore." Ryan said. "It's been quiet ever since your last treatment."

"Do you miss it?" Josh asked.

"Sometimes," Ryan shrugged. "But there are some secrets which aren't mine to know. How did you do it?"

"What do you mean?" Josh asked with a small frown.

"Before your Uncle saved you." Ryan asked causing Josh to jolt into a standing position and freeze up. "How did you go through each day?"

Josh stared at him as he struggled to speak. He couldn't remember it all now that so many years had passed but some of the days that he had lived under his relatives roof would never leave his memory. "How?"

"I saw glimpses of it when you were healing me." Ryan explained with tears in his eyes. "It's what made me realise that I could live without knowing other peoples thoughts."

Josh felt tears on his cheeks but couldn't move or speak, someone else knew of his past. Without even realising that Ryan had stood, let alone closed the gap between them, he felt the slightly shorter boy's arms go around him in a tight hug.

Josh tensed even further but then relaxed as he lay his head sideways across the top of Ryan's hair and wrapped his own arms around the fourteen year old. Ryan had had a bad childhood too, carted around by his stepfather and abused before being experimented on for almost six months. If anyone understood his pain it would be Ryan.

He was glad that now, Ryan had a place to live and wasn't at risk of dying even if it was at the cost of his mind-reading abilities.

Josh woke up the next morning in Ryan's bed with the smaller boy's head on his chest. He smiled wondering how great it would be to have a younger brother that he could look after and comfort like he'd never had before Uncle Kev had saved him.

XOXOXOXOXOX

**1 month later**

Ryan settled into Josh's house easily and was happy enough when they were left on their own. Josh would always take Ryan along with him to the Talon when he graced the coffee shop with his presence and whenever he had a shift at the hospital Ryan would spend the time with Clark.

He carried on getting to know Lana and was quickly becoming close with the girl since she, like Josh, was an orphan who lived with the Aunt who wasn't always around to help out.

Winter was fast approaching though unlike most of the places he'd live it didn't get nearly as cold in Smallville. Not much happened with him, Ryan and his Uncle to make them anything over than happy except for the normal teenager things that sometimes had nerves strung out. Without Uncle Kev around and with Ryan for the first time in a long time being able to express himself like a normal fourteen year old, Josh was having to be the dutiful older brother and look after him.

For the last month Ryan had been getting nightmares, whether he had a good day or bad they always hit him with only a few nights that he slept peacefully. On the nights that Ryan woke shaking and scared he'd creep into Josh's room and crawl under the covers. Most of the time Josh wouldn't know until he woke in the morning with the younger boy in his arms whilst sometimes Ryan would be sobbing and shaking so much that Josh would wake and have to comfort him to get him to fall back to sleep.

It was tough on Josh and for a time he got aggravated by it but he always remembered that having Ryan as a younger brother was well worth the time he had to help the boy out. He had to wonder how life would've been if Uncle Kev hadn't found him and he hoped that if that had been the case somebody else would've tried to help him.

He'd found out over the last month that small things happened in Smallville that were hard to believe and if it wasn't for his magical abilities and Ryan's old mental abilities he would've thought they were just fanciful tales. Firstly there was the incident just after Ryan had moved in when Josh had discovered that a guy called Ian Randell, a straight A student, had cheated with both Lana and Chloe at the same time.

_Flashback_

_Josh walked into the Torch to wait for Ryan who had spent his free session with Chloe and was supposed to wait for Josh in the small school papers office so that they could go into town and do some food shopping before going home but when he walked in it was to find Chloe attached to one of the smartest boy in the year, Ian Randell, who was supposed to be leaving school a year early._

_The two jumped apart when he started to speak to Chloe out of habit and Chloe went red with embarrassment. Josh hide his smirk behind his hand and winked at the girl who so obviously had a fascination with Smallville's own farm boy._

"_I'm guessing by that show of indecency that Ryan isn't around then?" Josh said and ignored the irritated glare that he received from Ian._

"_No, he left half an hour ago." Chloe muttered. "I think he went to the Talon."_

_Josh nodded before turning to leave but he didn't miss the fleeting look of worry that passed across Ian's face. Josh frowned as he left, Ryan wouldn't have left without leaving him a note, Josh figured that Ian had something to do with it._

_He hurried to the Talon and opened the door not ten minutes later. He dropped his book bag on his normal table with a slam before heading to the small boy sitting at the counter talking to one of the waitresses. "Ryan!" He kept the annoyance out of his voice as best as possible but Ryan, even without his mind-reading abilities, was a very astute boy._

"_I'm sorry, Josh!" Ryan looked scared. "I couldn't stay there, I don't like Ian."_

"_What do you mean?" Josh asked with a frown, Ryan liked almost everyone. "What did he do to you?"_

"_It's not what he did." Ryan clasped his hands. "I mean he glared at me till I left but it's more how I feel." Ryan gave him a knowing look and Josh frowned. Not once since Ryan had been cured had he felt anything in the way of thoughts._

"_We'll discuss it later." He looked to the waitress, a girl he recognised as a Senior at school. "Where's Lana?"_

"_She's out on a study date." The girl told them making Josh frown, Lana hardly needed help to study and even if she did she normally came to him. He wasn't jealous but not once in the last month had she shown any interest in any person but the all worshiped Clark Kent._

"_With who?" Josh asked._

"_Ian Randell." The girl asked._

"_He gets around doesn't he?" Ryan muttered._

"_I just left him with Chloe," Josh said, "He must have stood Lana up. I'll talk to her tomorrow. Thanks." Josh told the girl before picking up his book bag, he paid for the drink that Ryan finished off before they left._

_End Flashback_

It hadn't been until the next day when Josh talked to Lana about it that they realised that Ian had been with both of them that day. They'd discovered to their shock and to the girls near harm that Ian had the ability to be in two places at once. He'd tried to kill them but there'd been an accident and one of the Ian's had been knocked unconscious and the other fallen to his death. Ian was now in a mental institute.

Then there was the return of Lana's ex-boyfriend, turned Marine, who had supposedly vanished from contact. He didn't remember that Lana had split up with him and it had caused all sorts of trouble for everyone when Lana decided that the returned Hero deserved her affection and had left him in the belief that they were still together. This event though had cause Josh and Ryan more trouble since when helping Lana in the Talon one evening, he had arrived. Ryan and pulled Josh to the side and told him that he felt weird, like he had with Ian. Ryan had met Whitney before and this didn't feel like him.

They hadn't had much of an opportunity to explore this new sixth sense of Ryan's but Josh trusted his little brothers instincts. He'd sent Ryan in Lana's back room to call Clark before he confronted the supposed Ex-Marine.

_Flashback_

_Josh dropped onto one of the stools at the bench just as Lana handed Whitney a drink. "Lana, I hope you don't mind but I told Ryan to call Clark. He's supposed to be spending tomorrow with him but the phones down at our place." He narrowed his eyes slightly at the girl and she wisely didn't bring up the fact that Josh had a cell phone._

"_That's fine, Josh." Lana told him with a smile and poured him a glass of water knowing that even if she offered something else, Josh would just ask for water. "You two haven't been properly introduced yet have you? This is Whitney Fordman. Whitney this is Josh Ackervey. He's knew here."_

"_Pleased to meet you." Whitney said though there was a glint in his eye. Josh shook his hand and couldn't help but feel a strange twinge with his healing powers, something was definitely wrong here._

"_Tell me, were you fighting in France?" Josh asked trying to trick him into a wrong answer._

"_No," Whitney said spoiling Josh's fun. "They didn't need us there." He obviously wasn't as clever as he thought._

_Lana tensed and Josh knew she'd seen the trap and not expected him to fall for it, it was rather obvious after all. Josh stood up again and put some distance between them, though discreetly._

"_So," Josh asked with a faked smile. "Who are you?"_

"_What?" Whitney growled._

"_Come off it, I never knew Whitney but there are some that did and even I can see you're not acting like him." Josh smirked slightly at Lana's shocked face but smirk drained off of his face as the features of the taller man began to change, he shrunk slightly before his face became that of a she. She glared at him._

"_Tina!?" Lana asked with shock._

"_Who's Tina?" Josh asked as 'Tina' turned slightly to Lana._

"_She tried to kill me!" Lana gasped as she stepped back and knocked over a glass from the counter sending it tumbling to the ground with a crash. Josh slipped smoothly into a fighting stance._

"_Lana, I'm not going to hurt you this time. I was wrong before. I want to be with you forever." Tina said with a sick smile._

"_Leave her alone." Josh wasn't sure how bad Tina was but by the look on Lana's face he wasn't going to leave it to chance. Tina turned back to him and smirked and darted forwards. She was as slow as any untrained human and Josh dodged her punch and returned with his own aiming for his arm._

_She growled out as he deadened it by hitting her shoulder joint sharply and she lashed out in anger. He felt the blow before he could dodge it and stumbled at the force of the blow. She was so strong!_

_Before he could recover from the blow to his chest she hitting him on the side of the head. He fell down as his body went limp and could only watch as the world went black as Tina grabbed Lana and ran._

_End Flashback_

Josh had woken in a hospital bed a day later with Ryan clutching his hand from where he was sleeping with his head on the bed beside him. His Uncle Kev had driven back as soon as word that Josh had been attacked and hospitalised had reached him. Josh had a skull fracture as well as a serious concussion. He stayed in hospital for another two days after he had awoken and was very glad when Clark and Lana had walked in on the first day looking tired but fine.

Lana had been kidnapped and trapped in a cell. Clark had rescued her as was his habit and Lana had wanted to thank him and Clark had even thanked him for trying to protect her. It was shame though that Josh couldn't heal his own wounds or he'd have been able to cut the three days in hospital short as well as the six days bed rest he'd been assigned and Ryan, after finding him unconscious and bleeding on the floor of the Talon, had forced him to respect.

Then Lana had been torn up over a sudden secret affair between her mother and someone who had turned out to be Lana's true father. Josh had kept well enough alone with that one since it wasn't something that he really had any experience in.

Then one day Ryan had come running in Josh's room whilst he was working on his homework.

_Flashback_

_Josh slammed his chemistry text closed as Ryan came tumbling into his room with water pouring off of him. It was raining outside and Ryan was supposed to be at the Kent's farm since it was a Saturday. Josh jumped to his feet with irritation towards Clark that he had let Ryan walk home with the rain as it was._

"_Why didn't Clark drop you home?" Josh asked with an angry glint in his eye. "Why are you home so early?"_

_Josh came to a sudden halt as he realised that Ryan's eyes were red from crying. "What happened?" Josh's voice softened instantly as the younger boy tumbled into his arms._

"_Clark and Chloe were kissing." Ryan mumbled, his voice muffled from where his face was pressed into Josh's shoulder. "Pete arrived and they decided to go out but they didn't want to take as well. Clark said it wasn't a problem and to just leave me there."_

"_He did what!?" Josh growled as he drew Ryan down with him onto his seat with the smaller boy on his lap._

"_Pete pushed me away when I tried to stop them. They were being strange." Ryan sobbed. "They hate me."_

"_Was Chloe like that as well?" Josh asked. He'd expect rudeness from Pete, maybe not Clark but definitely not Chloe._

"_She called me a bore as they left." Ryan was shaking. Josh soothed him and rocked him slightly as his Uncle had done to him so many years ago and as he now did to Ryan whenever he woke from a nightmare._

"_I'm going to call Mr And Mrs Kent and find out what is going on." Josh hugged him tightly before forcing the smaller boy to his feet. "You go run yourself a bath."_

_Ryan nodded slowly but when Josh met his eye he knew Ryan was scared. "Clark loves you, Ryan. I don't know what's up with him at the moment but it isn't him."_

_He kissed Ryan's forehead before he left the room. "I'll still kill him next time I see him though!" He growled to himself as he grabbed the receiver for the phone and punched in the Kent Farm's number._

_Martha Kent picked up on the third ring. "Hello?"_

"_Mrs. Kent? It's Josh." Josh didn't bother hiding his irritation nor try to be less than blunt. "Where is Clark?"_

"_I don't know, Josh." She said kindly though her voice was strained. "He went out with Pete and Chloe after Ryan left."_

"_You mean after they forced him to leave?" Josh snapped unkindly. "How could you let Ryan leave and walk the half an hour back to here in this rain? I'll be lucky if I don't have to take him to the hospital with hypothermia!"_

"_Is he ok?" She asked with real concern and Josh softened slightly, she wasn't directly responsible for her son's actions after all._

"_He should be fine." Josh sighed. "Why did Clark flip out at him though?"_

"_I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding." She told him though Josh could almost hear the lie in her voice._

"_Misunderstanding seem to happen a lot around Clark." Josh snapped. "I don't care what you son says to me when he's in these moods, Mrs. Kent, but my Uncle and I are responsible for Ryan's mental health after everything he's been through. What Clark did today is inexcusable, no matter the circumstances."_

"_I'm sure when Clark is feeling better he'll apologise." Mrs. Kent told him._

"_Until I'm sure that something like this wont happen again Clark will stay away from Ryan." Josh told her bluntly. "You tell Clark to keep his distance from Ryan unless he or I say otherwise."_

_She sighed but she knew that Josh and his Uncle could easily take this further than they would. "I understand, I'll pass on the message."_

_Josh hung up before going in search of hot food and drink for his troubled younger brother._

_End Flashback_

That had been a week ago and Ryan still refused to see Clark. He had waited after each class for Josh to walk him to the next to prevent Chloe, Pete or Clark from going anywhere near them. Josh had even stormed into the Torch with Lana one day and ripped the three apart demanding an explanation for their mistreatment of Ryan.

_Flashback_

_Josh stormed into the Torch with Lana behind him. He'd just put Ryan into his next class before running into Lana in the corridor. They all had a free that hour so Josh had planned to go and have a word with the three. He told Lana everything that had happened with Ryan and she was just as annoyed._

"_I cant believe they'd do something like that. I know Pete isn't fond of you and Clarks a but wary of you but I don't believe any of them would do this to Ryan. Especially not Chloe!" Lana gasped before picking up her pace towards the School Newspapers office where she knew they'd find them._

_Josh snapped open the door rather violently making the three occupants jump slightly. The three gave the normally quiet Josh strange looks. "Don't look at me like that!" Josh snapped at them as he paced across the room to the window seat and dropped his book bag down onto it with a soft thump. "What the hell were you three playing at on Saturday!?"_

_Chloe tried to explain but Josh shut her up with a sharp gesture and a glare making it clear he wasn't finished. "Josh came home soaked through and scared because you three decided that he wasn't worth knowing!" He growled out. "He's been scared to even sleep the last two nights. You three know more than most others what he's been through in his life and now you do this?"_

_They glanced nervously at each other before glancing at Lana who didn't offer them any help. Finally Josh had had enough. "Well?" He growled dangerously._

"_You see," Chloe began, "There was this Rave." _

"_You kicked him out to go to a rave?" Josh cried. "A rave? In Smallville!?"_

"_No!" She said shocked at the idea. "We went to a rave Friday night and we got bitten by a strange bug down in the cave. It made us act strangely."_

"_A bug bite made you act strangely?" Josh raised his eyebrows but then thought about it. It was ridiculous enough to not be a thought up excuse and it _was _Smallville after all. "Ok, I can accept that but I don't want any of you going near Ryan until he's settled again. Is that understood?"_

_They nodded mutely. Lana frowned whilst looking at Clark before she spoke up. "You didn't go to that Rave, Clark. You were at the talon."_

_Josh rounded on him. "Is that true?" Clark nodded. "So you didn't get bitten then?" Clark didn't answer, "This is ridiculous, Kent. I gave you a chance to prove yourself the last time you did something like this and I might have even let it slide if it had been me that you hurt but Ryan!? How could you do that to him? Insane or not it was too much. I warn you Kent, don't try to go near him until he forgives you!"_

_End Flashback_

He'd stormed out of the room then making a scene of himself in the hallways by slamming the door rather harder than necessary. That had been the beginning of the week and now the weekend was upon them again. Ryan had avoided the three for the week and had holed himself up all of that Saturday. Josh had given the teenager space but his Uncle would be back that evening and they had planned to go shopping the next day as a family, strange as the family was.

Josh finished making a sandwich for himself and his little brother. They'd eaten dinner earlier but Ryan hadn't eaten much, he hadn't all week and Josh wanted to try to get him to eat further. He pushed open the bedroom door with his foot and walked in without knocking to find Ryan watching the small TV in the corner of the room from the top of his bed. "Hey Ry!" Josh said with a small smile. "I thought you'd be hungry."

"I'm not." Was Ryan's response. Josh dropped the plates on the trunk at the bottom of the bed nearly spilling their contents in the process as he sighed. The motion got Ryan's full attention though since Josh was normally rather graceful in his movements.

"Ryan, I know you're hungry, my senses are screaming at me!" Josh tried not to snap but he hadn't had much sleep, something that was evidently obvious to Ryan.

"You look tired." Ryan told him. Josh just sighed heavily before collapsing on the bed next to Ryan and lying out flat.

"You've had nightmares every night for the last week." Josh sighed. He'd heard Ryan tossing and turning, he'd heard the cries but Josh had not gone further than coming to Josh's door and waiting for his sleep to even out. "Why didn't you come to me? I could've help you sleep."

"I didn't…" Ryan started before he too collapsed down beside Josh though he didn't try to hug him like he'd normally do. "I trusted…" Again he trailed off but Josh knew then what the problem was.

"Ryan, no matter what happens, I'll always be here for you." Josh sighed. "I'll always care about you."

Ryan looked at him with teary eyes but scooted closer on the bed and tentatively put his head on Josh's chest. Josh smiled down at him before wrapping and arm around him and pulling him closer. It was nice to have someone to care about. They lay like that for a time before Josh spoke again.

"Ryan, you know that Clark cares about you right?" Josh said and Ryan looked up at him with confused eyes. "I don't know why he's acting like he is, maybe he'll tell you since I think you know more about him then you let on."

Ryan opened his mouth but Josh just shook his head. "I don't care what it is, Ry." Josh sighed. "Secrets are kept for a reason, we are both proof of that. No matter what he did, I don't think he meant it at heart. You should give him a chance."

"Why are you defending him?" Ryan asked. "He hurt you before and you don't get along."

"We don't get along because he like to know everything that is going on and I have too many secrets." Josh explained. "He's a good guy at heart, I'm just too guarded for his liking."

Ryan gave him a smile before Josh sat them both up. "Maybe one day he'll come clean and you can too." Ryan told him happily, "Then you can be friends and I wont have to choose between you."

"I'd never make you choose, Ry!" Josh gasped in shock at the announcement but then saw that Ryan was laughing at him. He span the boy onto his back and attacked him with his fingertip in a tickle-attack that he was forced to give up only when the door opened and shut below them.

"Want to go tackle him?" Josh asked referring to his Uncle who was fast become a real Uncle to Ryan too. Ryan leapt of the bed, grabbed half a sandwich from one of the plates and dashed out of the door. Josh smiled after him before grabbing the two plates and switching off the TV.

He followed Ryan down the stairs at a more sedate but still greeted his Uncle with the same exuberance as the younger boy. He gave Ryan the rest of the sandwiches to eat with a stern look to make sure that he ate them all before he disappeared into the kitchen to make a sandwich and a drink for his Uncle Kev.

They spent the evening talking about the last week. Their Uncle was glad to see that Ryan was back to his normal chirpy self since he had had to leave him on the Tuesday in his melancholy mood. The evening was quiet and Josh was glad as they settled down to watch a late night movie with their Uncle crashed out on one of the sofas and Josh and Ryan curled up in one of the Armchairs. Ryan turned to Josh before they went to bed and Josh saw just how tired the boy was. "Can I stay with you tonight?" Ryan asked him, after several nights when Ryan had nightmares in a row he'd always asked this since he never had nightmares when he fell asleep next to him.

"Sure, Ry." Josh pulled Ryan into his side before pushing him off into his own room to get ready for bed and he went into the bathroom to get a quick shower.

XOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

"Can we pop over to Clark's this afternoon?" Ryan asked as they walked into the Talon for a drink before they found somewhere to buy lunch. Their Uncle glanced at Josh to see what he thought.

"As long as you're sure you want to see him." Josh said slowly and received a nod. He knew that Ryan hadn't slept easily the night before and spent hours keeping Josh up with his tossing and turning. Josh had just feigned sleep to allow the younger boy to think and now it was obvious that he'd been thinking about seeing Clark. "I'll take you over in a bit but don't think that I'm leaving you alone with him for even a second. Something else might make him go mad." He added with dry humour.

Josh drove their Uncle back home with their shopping before he drove back through town with Ryan to the Kent Farm. What they saw when they got there shocked them. Josh pulled the Jeep up onto the grass verge opposite the Farm's driveway and jumped out. The road was covered in black CDC vans that Josh recognised from volunteering in City hospitals.

Ryan joined him as the crossed the road and found Mr. Kent and Clark leaning against their soundly shut front gate. CDC specialists were pouring over the house, barn and fields obviously sweeping the area. "Kent." Josh said to get their attention and they both turned to see them. Clark looked troubled but a smile split his face as he caught sight of Ryan.

"Ryan?" Clark sounded nervous but he sighed thankfully when Ryan closed the gap and hugged the much taller boy's waist. Clark glanced at Josh who met his eyes steadily.

"I'm watching you!" Josh mouthed silently and to his surprise Clark just nodded. Josh turned to walk beside Mr. Kent. "Why is the CDC combing your farm?"

"Martha's in hospital, she collapsed, and they think it might be something on the farm that caused it." Mr. Kent told him.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry." Josh felt guilty, the last time he'd spoken to her was when he'd phoned the last weekend and he hadn't exactly been pleasant to her.

The man seemed to know what he was thinking as he glanced at his son and Ryan talking together. "Don't think for a second that Martha or I, or even Clark, disapprove of what you said last weekend. " He told Josh calmly. "Martha doesn't hold it against you. We see Ryan now compared to what he was a month ago and we know you are doing more than anyone else could. Even Clark realises that, its one of the reasons he hasn't just barged over to your house to see Ryan."

"I do realise that Clark is a good person, Mr. Kent, but we both have our secrets and until Clark accepts that he cant know mine we wont be any more friendlier than we already are." Josh told him sullenly. "Can you give Mrs. Kent my best wishes when you see her? I don't think they'll let me through the CDC quarantine even if I am working."

"Have you had much experience with them before?" He asked after nodded to show he would pass on the message.

"Apart from my own volunteering at hospitals, my Uncle is a doctor." Josh told him. "They'll do everything they can to find out what is wrong with her and do everything that can to help her. But their main concern is ensuring it doesn't spread. They'll leave the treatment to the hospital if they can."

"Thank you for bring Ryan over, I haven't seen Clark smile like that since last week." Mr. Kent told him.

"Nor Ryan either." Josh conceded. "We can stick around for a while if you want. I think Clark could do with having Ryan around for a while."

"Thanks." He said.

They spent the better part of the day sitting around, either in the open top jeep or leaning on the fence. Josh drove into town once to get coffee from the Talon and told Lana what was happening. He arrived back half an hour later but stayed in the car as the others settled in the various seat. He realised as he passed a drink to Clark that he looked slightly off. It wasn't so much looking off but he felt off. Or at least Josh's healing senses were whispering that something was wrong.

"Have you both had tests done?" Josh asked casually as they listened to the radio.

He noticed that Ryan gave him a tense look though he didn't know whether he had caught onto his senses speaking up or whether it was something else. "They haven't done anything." Clark spoke up after a small hesitation.

"So you both feel fine?" Josh raised an eyebrow and got two nods in response. "That's good then." Josh caught Ryan's eye but the smaller boy just shook his head slightly to make him drop it. He couldn't scan either of them anyway since not only would they notice but the whole CDC fleet would too and he wasn't risking that.

They hung about for a while longer before the CDC began to clear out and Josh hinted to Ryan that they had to get home to see their Uncle off back to Metropolis. Clark and Mr. Kent were fine with this since they wanted to go see Mrs. Kent at the hospital. Josh told them before they left that if they needed anything to just give him a call.

XOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Josh took Ryan to school as normal but at Ryan's request Josh walked with him to find and talk to Chloe and Pete who were easily found in the Torch. Josh let Ryan talk with them without interfering just like he'd done with Clark the day before. It was only until Ryan had finished that he noticed the farm boy's absence in the room and the rather worn appearance of Pete.

"Where's Clark?" Josh asked with a frown. "Is he at the hospital?"

"No, he's at home." Pete said tensely.

"Is he ill?" Ryan frowned remembering Josh's look from the jeep the day before.

Pete glanced at Chloe but sighed. "Yeah, though he denies it. His dad forced him to stay home."

"Did he go into hospital?" Josh asked. Chloe looked interested at this but Pete just shrugged the question off with a shake of his head to suggest he didn't know.

The bell rang interrupting any further interrogation against Pete and Josh pulled Ryan out of the room to get him on the way to his next class. Before he could rid himself of his younger companion Ryan span on his heal and pulled Josh to the side. "You have to heal him!" Ryan demanded.

"I cant just walk into their house and heal Clark Kent!" Josh sighed.

"You did it for me!" Ryan argued.

"Don't do that!" Josh snapped rather harsher than necessary. "I cant heal everyone that gets sick, Ry, You were dying and it wasn't even your fault."

"But Clark could be dying!" Ryan argued regardless.

"Precisely! Could be, Ry!" Josh sighed again and ran his hand through his hair messing up the already wild locks.

"Please, Josh!" Ryan was close to tears. Josh placed a calming hand on his shoulder to make the boy look up at him.

"I wont let him die, Ry." Josh told him seriously. "I'll try to get in later to the CDC's section at the hospital and see if Clark went in. If I can find out what he's got then maybe I can help."

"Can I come into work with you?" Ryan asked quietly. He'd gone with him before and spent the three hour shift sitting in the nurse's station.

"Sure, Ry." Josh knew that Ryan wouldn't want to be alone at home and worrying about Clark's health so they only option was for him to stay at the Talon all evening with Lana or go with Josh since the Kent Farm was out of the question.

The rest of the day seemed to drag on for Josh as he kept worrying over what would happen. He could heal Martha Kent or heal Clark Kent but he'd probably tire himself out since it was a virus or disease rather than a broken bone. They had to be completely healed in one go or the illness would just regain ground before Josh could continue the treatment. His concern though was that whatever he did would wake them up or exhaust him and therefore give himself away.

Josh waited in the car for Ryan before they drove into town to get something to eat before going to the Talon, neither of them really enjoyed sitting at home without Uncle Kevin around and preferred to do any homework they had in the Talon, an activity that Lana didn't contest since she sometimes joined Josh to get help in her own work. Today though she was clearly upset.

"What's the matter, Lana?" Ryan asked, as perceptive as ever.

"I'm worried about Clark." She told them with a huff knowing that their was no point hiding anything from the two of them since they always saw her problems before others. "I've known him for all my life and I've never seen him ill before, especially not this ill. I just went to see him, he was so weak."

Ryan gave Josh a scared look and Lana noticed too, she reached across the table and gripped his hand consolingly though Josh thought the motion was as much for her as for Ryan.

"Are you sure you want to come with me to the hospital, Ry?" Josh asked slipping into the nickname regardless of the fact that Ryan didn't like it in public. "I'm sure Lana wouldn't mind you staying here until I finish."

"Yeah, Ryan." Lana told them. "You can stay here with me if you want."

"No, I want to stay with Josh." Ryan muttered. Lana nodded realising that with Clark gone he only had Josh left.

"Speaking of which." Josh sighed as he gather his books. "We only have half an hour left before I have to be in work, we might as well go now."

XOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Josh had managed to get a look at Martha Kent on the pre-tense of tidying her room, a feat only achievable because they had determined her to not to be contagious. She hadn't been awake, actually she had looked absolutely awful, her vital statistics had been appallingly low and from what he could gather by the chatter amongst the doctors and nurses she wouldn't pull through.

After school he took Ryan to the Kent farm to see Clark and was slightly shocked when they arrived to see a rather upset Chloe run from the house. She ignored them both but Josh assumed it had something to do with her crush on Clark. When Mr. Kent showed them in he looked haggard and tired and Josh didn't blame him since he had a wife in hospital and a son equally as ill in his living room.

Clark was laying on the living room sofa with a blanket over him and he did in fact look as bad as his mother. Mr. Kent left them alone and Ryan sat on the floor next to the sofa and stared at Clark with worry in his eyes. Josh walked to a position beside Ryan and held his hand over Clark as he let his healing abilities reach out to scan the farm boy.

He sighed as it finished. "He's infected with a infection, probably from the same spores as Mrs. Kent." Josh told Ryan.

"Will he be alright?" Ryan asked.

"No, Ry." Josh shock his head. "Not unless I heal him."

"Please…" Ryan started with pleasing eyes.

Josh cut him off. "I'll do it but it'll probably knock me out. You'll look after me 'till I wake up right?"

Ryan nodded furiously before moving out of the way and checking to make sure that Mr. Kent wasn't nearby. Josh knelt beside the sofa and placed his hands over Clark's body, one over his neck and the other above his heart. "I'm sorry, Kent, but I cant heal both you and your mother." It wasn't that he had a choice only that he wouldn't be able to get to Martha Kent for long enough to heal her. He let loose his power and allowed it to flood from his core into the ill human before him. He frowned at the enthusiasm of the healing, for the first time the body in front of him was drawing the power into him like a magnet instead of just accepting it. The room glowed with white light as the colour began to return to Clark's cheek.

Josh knew it was working when first he began to become very tired and then he felt ill. He knew that he'd feel a lesser form of the symptoms that Clark had felt whilst he was coconscious but at least with him that was all it would be, just the symptoms.

He never saw whether Clark woke up before he felt his body give out below him and he sagged sideways as he head gave him a shooting pain and he flopped sideward onto the ground. He felt Ryan catch his head and lower him to the ground and felt his younger brother's arms around him as he slipped into unconsciousness.

XOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	5. Truths

Outsiders

Chapter 5; Truths

Josh woke in a room he didn't really know. He had to shutter his eyes against the bright light coming through a window, obviously he'd slept through the night. He glanced around blearily and realised that he was still in the Kent's front room.

He groaned as he realised he was alone, he focused to his left and heard the unmistakable sound of voices from the kitchen. Ryan was there, and Clark Kent and what sounded like Martha Kent. He struggled up from the sofa, glad that he was still wearing his own clothes. A blanket lay on one of the armchairs, probably where Ryan had slept.

He staggered through the house to the kitchen and took in the scene. Martha and Jonathan Kent were seated at the table whilst Clark and Ryan were washing up dishes. The two adults were talking quietly between themselves whilst Clark and Ryan were being rather noisy.

"You two should keep it down." Martha told them after a few moments without looking up. "You don't want to wake him up."

Josh watched her carefully, his senses told him that she was perfectly healthy, in fact there was something unnaturally healthy about her, something that wasn't supposed to be. He shrugged it off, he wasn't concerned with how Clark had healed her, if he even had. Maybe they'd used Clark's blood to counter the infection since he's own healing powers would've left an antibody of sorts in his system.

"Josh!" Ryan voice cut off his thoughts and brought his head up to look at him.

"Ryan, I just said…" Martha began before looking up and seeing him. Ryan darted across the room and nearly knocked him over in his haste to hug him. Josh patted him on the back gently and pulled him close. "Josh, you shouldn't be up."

"I'm fine Mrs. Kent." Josh told her. "I see that you are both up and about. I'm glad."

"You've had a fever all night, we were worried you'd come down with the same thing." Clark spoke as he dried his hands on a towel, something that Ryan hadn't bothered with.

Ryan leaned up to whisper in his ear. "I didn't tell them anything but they know you healed him." Josh nodded, he hadn't expected anything less.

"It doesn't work like that." Josh sighed before letting Ryan force him down onto a chair by the counter top. "When I heal someone I get part of the symptoms but not the actual problem."

Clark looked confused so he continued. "When I healed you last night I removed the infection and took on part of the symptoms myself so I got the fever but not the actual infection." He shrugged slightly. "If you'd been shot, I'd end up with a smaller wound then you but no bullet."

"We understand." Jonathan Kent explained.

"How did you get a gift like that?" Clark asked. "You weren't around for the meteor storm."

Josh frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I better let Chloe explain that to you." Clark sighed.

"Oh you mean, The Wall of Weird." Josh laughed. "It's an interesting theory but no, I was born like this. It's neither because of an illness like Ryan's or a mutation."

"You know about Ryan?" Martha asked.

"I know that a tumour in his head gave him mind reading abilities." Josh told them. "Part of my gift is diagnosis. I can touch a person and it tells me what's wrong with them."

"So that's why you volunteer at the hospital?" Martha asked him.

Josh nodded, "I do what I can for those that wouldn't make it otherwise but there are a few I cant do anything for. I cant heal absolutes, I'd die with them, but I can heal most other things. Diseases are the hardest though."

"How bad was I when you healed me?" Clark asked.

"To be honest, you had till tomorrow night at the most. The infection was so deeply ingrained it took a lot out of me." Josh sighed. "I'm glad to see you both up and about. Especially you Mrs. Kent."

Josh saw them all become rather uncomfortable, especially Ryan who looked deeply torn. They were hiding something about her recovery but Josh didn't mind, he had more secrets that he didn't want to tell them after all. He laughed making them all look at him like he was crazy. "People keep secrets for a reason. I don't care how she was healed." Josh laughed. "It it makes you feel better, I would've kept my own secret from you indefinitely if it didn't mean Clark's death. I mean Ryan would have been rather upset, he might have been really annoyed at me if I let him die. At least for the first few weeks."

Ryan swatted at him playfully as they laughed at his joke, the tension easing from their minds. "You had better get some more rest, Josh, and something to eat." Martha told him as she stood.

"Thank you, Mrs. Kent, but I'm still feeling rather queasy. And Uncle Kev will be back soon and he wont be happy I let myself get caught." Josh smiled at them. "Come on Ry, unless you want to spend today here."

Ryan shook his head and hopped up from his own chair. "I'm coming to look after you."

Josh laughed as he pulled himself to his feet. "Do you want me to drive you?" Clark offered.

Josh thought about it for a second. Normally he'd be fine but he wasn't going to risk Ryan's life as well. "Thanks." Josh said. "I'll come by at some point to pick up my Jeep if you don't mind it being here for a while."

"It's fine, Josh." Martha told him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**School; two weeks later**

Josh was working on his own in the corner of the room like usual, it was a science lesson and they were supposed to be working on their own projects but since Josh had finished his in the last lesson he was bored out of his mind. Instead he was gazing around the room at the different people. From the jerks in the corner who really didn't have a clue what they were doing to people like Chloe who did know what they were doing but were too bored to actually do it.

Josh watched in silence as Clark, Pete and Chloe attempted to get power from an orange whilst they joked. He did wish he had a group of friends like that but he knew that eventually he would have to move and whereas Ryan could choose to come with them or stay with the Kent's he couldn't take friends with him. The closest he had here was probably Lana who he at least talked to in the hallways and at the Talon.

Things between him and the Kent's were alright but if it wasn't for Ryan's involvement with them he wouldn't have much to do with them. He had his Uncle Kev but Clark's closeness with his parents irritated him, Clark had just shown up and been given a perfect home whereas Josh had been forced to suffer for years and then be on the run just to avoid being found.

He wouldn't be surprised if his Uncle announced that they were leaving again, especially since they'd already been in Smallville for six months. Josh just hoped that they could stick out until the summer holidays at the very least.

A boy walked passed his line of vision. Cyrus Crup, a rather lonely boy, who like Josh didn't care what people thought of their appearance. Though with Cyrus it was because he didn't care for the outer world and only his own small projects. He'd arrived in Smallville two weeks ago and had straight away made a name for himself as someone slightly crazy. He walked around with headphones on but never listened to music and Josh had often caught him muttering to himself.

He walked straight up to Clark's bench and plugged in an extension lead. Clark's face made him laugh slightly and he had to cover his mouth to hide his amusement when Clark turned to face him. He shook his head with an amused look on his face before pulling a book towards him and pretending to read it.

He looked up a few minutes later when somebody accosted Cyrus for taking his power outlet without asking. You'd think they'd be used to it by now. "Hey freak, Why don't you jack in somewhere else?" One of the jerks, Kyle, growled out as he grabbed the headphones from Cyrus' head. He held one of the speakers to his ears. "Ooh, check it out, man. The loser's listening to a dial tone!"

Cyrus snatched the headphones back whilst Josh stood and moved towards them. "You don't have the mental capacity to understand that sound." Cyrus snapped.

"Are you calling me stupid?" Kyle glared.

"Let's just say you're not one of mankind's brightest lights." Cyrus said sarcastically. Josh couldn't help but snort with laughter as he heard this and Kyle turned to glare at him but seeing who he was they turned back to Cyrus. Josh was happy with his reputation. He'd decked a couple of football jocks for stealing one of his sketch books just before Christmas and they tended to avoid him now.

Kyle had obviously decided to focus on the stranger of the two. He flung out his hand and knocked the headphones from Cyrus' grasp whilst his friend grabbed the sphere that was Cyrus' project. He then tossed it carelessly to Kyle.

"Hey!" Cyrus almost yelped. "Don't damage my transmitter, don't damage that!"

Kyle tossed it back again but Josh stepped forwards and caught it before spinning to stand beside Cyrus. He handed the sphere back before facing Kyle squarely. "What do we have here? The town outcast helping someone?" Kyle glared at him but Josh just returned the glare.

"Hey guys." Clark suddenly appeared next to them. "Why don't you just leave them alone?"

Kyle rounded on Clark. "Stay out of it, Kent!"

"Get out of here freak!" One of the other guys growled at Cyrus.

Cyrus just glared at him even though Josh tried to pull him back. Josh frowned when Cyrus didn't move, he wanted this to escalate. As expected Kyle grabbed at Cyrus and threw him backwards into one of the counter sending him sprawling. Josh caught him before he could hurt himself.

"Come on Cyrus." Josh muttered as he pulled him to his feet. Clark had stepped back as well, probably thinking of rejoining his friends.

"Oh no, he's crying!" One of the Jerks laughed.

Josh shook his head slowly, it was ridiculous behaviour but it was no different whichever city he was in. Football jocks would always pick on those they considered lower than them. "That's right, go home to momma!" Kyle spat. "Poor baby!"

Something seemed to snap in Cyrus, an all too well known reaction for Josh when somebody teased him about his dead parents. Cyrus spun just as one of the boy's mimicked him.

"Don't hurt the transmitter!" The board behind them burst into flame. A trail streaked across it so fast that Josh had to take a step back in shock. He'd seen some weird stuff in his life but never something like this.

"Now leave me alone!" Cyrus snapped before he spun on his heel and left the room. Josh watched him leave before looking sideways at the counter. He'd forgotten the transmitter that had fallen on the counter when he'd been pushed. Josh watched as the teacher, suddenly deciding to step in once his classroom had caught light scooped it up. Josh glanced at Clark to see him staring at the fire with slight awe.

Now that was something worth noting. Nothing surprised or shocked Clark, not even his healing abilities had fazed him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Talon**

"Hi Lana." Josh greeted her as he closed his secret Diary and slipped it into his bag. He'd been drawing a picture of Martha Kent, something was off about her but he didn't know what yet. He'd hoped that by drawing the feelings he had he'd work it out but he hadn't gotten any closer. So far all he had was a second head inside her own one that made the picture look like an x-ray. "You look troubled."

"Do I?" She laughed weakly.

"You do." Josh confirmed, "What's on your mind?"

"You not as bad as everyone says are you?" Lana asked.

"I am. Just not to everyone." Josh laughed. "Don't change the subject."

"You never met Whitney but we used to go for horse rides together." Lana sighed. "I've been looking after Tyson, his horse, since he…"

Josh nodded to show she could continue. He knew that Whitney had been reported as Killed in Action, he'd found out all about it when Tina had attacked them.

"The problem is that Whitney's mum cant afford to stable him any longer." Lana sat beside him heavily. "I don't know what to do."

Josh paused as he thought about it. "Aren't you friends with the local rich playboy?" Josh asked with a raised eyebrow. He'd avoided the Luthors since arriving since they had the resources to cause a severe problem. "Doesn't he have a huge stable?"

"He does and he offered but…" Lana sighed again.

"You're holding out for Clark aren't you?" Josh stifled his chuckle by taking a drink.

"How do you…?" Lana stumbled.

"I see a lot in this town, Lana." Josh sighed. "Though your feelings for Clark aren't exactly a secret. Why don't you just ask him? I'm sure they'd happily stable Tyson for you."

"Maybe I'll ask." Lana said as she stood.

"Maybe you should." Josh looked up at her with a smile.

"You're a strange guy, Josh." Lana laughed.

"So I've been told." He laughed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two day later**

It had been peaceful since Cyrus had set fire to the lab, after the small scare things had gone back to normal. His Uncle was back for the weekend and Ryan was at the Kent's learning to ride with Lana.

Josh had offered to pay for the lessons as a way to help pay for the feed that Tyson used but Martha had refused saying that with the herd of cows they fed a single horse wouldn't be a problem.

Josh pulled into the Kent farm just as darkness set in to collect Ryan to find the lights in the paddock on. He shut the engine of his Jeep down as he pulled to a stop and got out. Ryan, Lana and Clark were in the paddock standing over the fallen form of Tyson. Josh vaulted the fence and came up beside Ryan placing his hand on his shoulder.

Ryan bolted upright, "Josh!"

"Ry, what's wrong?" Josh asked.

"He collapsed, we don't know why." Ryan told him obviously hurt by the event. Josh knelt beside the horse and rubbed at its neck to hide the fact he was scanning it.

"It's his heart." Josh sighed and saw Lana confused look. "I work in a hospital Lana, I can recognise a heart attack when I see one."

"Will he be ok?" Lana cried just as another figure ran up.

"How could you betray me?" Josh jerked up at Cyrus' voice and realised he was yelling at Clark. "You told that Chloe girl my secret, she wants to interview me!"

Clark got up to stop him near the fence and Josh lost track of their conversation as he focused on Tyson. He met Ryan's eyes and hung his head. He couldn't show two more people his abilities just for the life of a horse. Especially an old one such as Tyson.

Josh felt a wrench go through his senses and Lana looked up at Clark as Tyson whinnied. Josh bled a bit of his healing abilities into the horse with a small flash of light to ease the horses pain whilst Lana wasn't paying attention.

"Clark!" Lana cried out.

"What's wrong with him?" Cyrus asked as he walked over, he was looking directly at Josh with a strange look in his eyes.

"I think it's a Heart Attack." Josh told him as he took his hands off of the horse, as if he'd been caught.

"It's ok boy." Cyrus muttered to Tyson as he knelt next to the horse. "You don't need all these people poking and prodding you. I'll make it better."

Josh jolted backwards as he felt it, a deep surging of power so like his own spilled from Cyrus' hand and spread through Tyson's body. It wasn't as controlled as his own but it was just as powerful. White light spread from Cyrus' hands and he heard Clark and Lana gasp and felt Ryan grab at Josh's hand. For his own sake he could only stare at Cyrus in shock.

The horse jolted up and Ryan had to pull him back slightly to stop him being trampled under it's feet. Josh stared at Cyrus as did Clark and Ryan. Lana walked over to Tyson to calm him and fawn over him, obviously putting the miraculous act to the back of her mind for the time being.

"What did you do?" Clark asked.

"I healed him." Cyrus shrugged whilst looking at Josh.

"You're rather forthright with that. Too forthright." Josh told him. "How do you know we wont turn you over to some mental institute or research lab."

"I know why you wont." Cyrus told him. "Clark wont either. I don't know you though." He said looking at Ryan who scooted ever so slightly closer to Josh.

"This is Ryan." Josh told Cyrus. "What do you plan to do about Lana then?"

"Do you think she'll tell anyone?" Cyrus looked slightly worried.

"I think she's just grateful that Tyson's back on his feet." Clark muttered.

"Cyrus, nobody but Ryan and Clark know about my abilities." Josh warned.

"I wont tell anyone." Cyrus said as he pulled his hat back on tightly.

"How did you get here?" Clark asked as he glanced around.

"I walked." Cyrus told them.

"Come on then, I'll give you a lift home." Josh said before he pulled Ryan away. "I don't want to be around here when the vet arrives. You healed him too well."

"You can sense what I did?" Cyrus asked.

"Probably the same way you sensed that I could do the same. Come on." Josh nodded a farewell to Clark and let Ryan hug him goodbye before he jumped in the car. Ryan hopped into the back seat whilst Cyrus took the passenger seat. They drove in silence for a time.

"Are you an alien too?" Cyrus asked rather worried.

Ryan scowled at him but kept quiet. "No. I was born in England."

"You were born like this though weren't you?" Cyrus asked.

Josh nodded as he drove. "What about you?"

"I'm an alien." Cyrus muttered with a longing stare out of the window. Josh twisted his neck to look at Ryan who just shrugged. Josh knew Ryan was hiding something but let it pass. It undoubtedly had something to do with someone's thoughts from when he was still a mind reader. There was a lot about the world that Ryan knew but kept to himself. "You don't believe me do you?" Cyrus asked rather suddenly.

"I don't know." Josh chuckled. "Saying that I can heal most things with a touch and I've seen you do the same, being an alien isn't that much of a stretch."

"And I could read people minds." Ryan put in helpfully having obviously come to some sort of decision. Cyrus turned to look at the fourteen year old in surprise.

"It was a side effect of a tumour that I healed a few months ago." Josh cut in. "There's quite a few people in Smallville that have weird abilities because of exposure to the meteor rocks that fell on the town a while back. That's Chloe's opinion in any case."

"That's when I arrived." Cyrus told them both. "I was left here then. I've been bouncing between foster parents ever since then trying to get back here."

"Why?" Ryan asked as he leant forward eagerly.

"Seatbelt Ry." Josh admonished him and received a horrified look in return although Ryan did as he was told with a huff.

"I need to be here to send the signal back home so I can be picked up." Cyrus muttered.

"Didn't they leave you here though?" Josh asked. "How do you know they'll pick you up again?"

"I just know." Cyrus snapped causing a tense silence to start.

After a good five minutes of weaving through streets Josh sighed. "I'm sorry, Cyrus, but what are you going to do if you're wrong? Or if they don't hear you?"

"They'll hear me." Cyrus told him before continuing in a whisper. "They have to, I cant stay here amongst humans any longer."

"We're not all bad, Cyrus." Josh told him sharply but was saved from the response as he pulled up to where he knew Cyrus lived. Cyrus thanked him before he got out of the car. "I'll see you tomorrow at school?"

Cyrus nodded distracted as Ryan jumped into the front seat and put on his seatbelt with an elaborate gesture. Cyrus jogged off around the side of the house. Josh reached over and tugged playfully on Ryan's hair to show the sarcastic motion hadn't been ignored before he pulled away.

"Do you believe him?" Ryan asked.

"I don't know, Ry." Josh sighed and rubbed his neck. "I want to but there's something off about him. Something that shouldn't be."

"You mean he's ill?" Ryan asked. "Couldn't you just touch him and find out?"

"Not without him knowing, our abilities twine together when I'm around him. He'd know what I was doing and that's not how I want things to go." Josh told him. "We'll find out sooner or later though."

"Chloe's checking up on his history." Ryan told him. "Clark told me."

"I worry about her." Josh sighed. "She could cause me a lot of problems if she went into my background and got lucky."

"She's already tried once. I think Clark might have asked her after I came to live with you." Ryan told him sheepishly. "She found it odd that a lot of your past is a blank but she didn't find anything bad."

Josh threw him a tired look. "You should have told me when you found out. Uncle Kev was careful to block out everything from my life in England but she might find something we missed if she gets a hint."

"I wont mention anything, I promise." Ryan defended.

"I know you wont, Ry." Josh smiled at him gently. "I'm more worried about the Kent's telling somebody about me. There are a lot of powerful people looking for me."

"You mean the Wizards?" Ryan asked.

Josh gave him a surprised look, they'd never discussed what Ryan had actually seen when he had healed him but obviously it was a lot. "Yes, them. They'll want me back bad enough to find me eventually." Ryan grabbed his hand to show that he didn't want to lose him. "If anything happens the Kent's will look after you I'm sure."

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Next evening; Medical Centre**

Josh had to do a double take when he saw Martha Kent walk in to the inpatients section of the hospital, he walked over to her as she looked around with a worried look on her face.

"Mrs. Kent?" Josh asked as he stepped up to her placing the few folders he had been carrying onto the counter behind him.

"Josh!" She jumped slightly. "I didn't know you were working today? You normally drop Ryan off at our when you work."

"I know but Uncle Kev is home for the evening so Ryan wanted to stay with him. Plus Clark said he had things to take care of." Josh told her. "Why are you here?"

"I've got an appointment." She told him rather guiltily.

"I gathered that." He smiled at her. "Any reason?"

"Just a check up." She told him but Josh caught the instinctive movement of her hand that all pregnant women made when hiding pregnancy. He raised his eyebrows.

"That's what I felt then." Josh grinned as it clicked. The pictures of an internal mind made more sense to him now and the feeling of her being healthier than was normal. When he was scanning two beings like with pregnant people he felt their life forces combined.

She went pale so he grabbed her hand and led her to an unused room. He locked the door and shut the blinds. "You cant tell Clark!" She said suddenly.

"It's your secret Mrs. Kent." Josh told her. "But I was under the impression this wasn't possible. Isn't that why you adopted Clark?"

"It is…um…" She hesitated. "It's because of the way I was healed from that infection."

Josh held up his hand. "I know that's a sensitive subject for you so I wont push you. But why are you here?"

"I came to get a check up. I haven't been feeling right lately." She told him. "But Jonathan didn't want me to see the Doctor."

"Why not?" Josh asked but checked himself with a shake of his head. If there was anything he believed in it was a persons rights to their own secrets. "Do you really want a Doctor to look at you?"

"It's complicated." She admitted. "They might find something strange with the tests but I don't want to risk loosing it."

"I could check it for you if you wanted." Josh offered. "It would be better than any test a Doctor could give and you know I'd keep the secret. I kept Ryan's after all."

"So you do know about Ryan's abilities? We had wondered when you took him in." She smiled at him. "I'd be grateful if you could check on it. It would solve everything and I'm sure Jonathan would agree."

"Give me your hand, this might take a while." Josh told her and grabbed it. He shut his eyes and let his powers flow into Martha Kent though he kept the healing elements back. Sometimes a weak embryo was considered a health risk by his powers and if they went uncontrolled they'd abort it. Ten minutes later he pulled back after checking everything relevant. "It's a good thing you didn't get a scan by any doctor and I'd avoid it if possible."

"What do you mean?" Martha asked suddenly concerned.

"Don't worry, the baby is perfectly healthy, I can feel everything to do with it. I'm guessing you don't want to know whether it is a boy or a girl?" He asked and received a shake of the head as well as a curious look. "The DNA told me. It wont have any defects and it is in fact Jonathan's child too." He frowned.

"What's the problem with that?" She asked.

"The reason you shouldn't get a medical scan is because your ovaries are still deformed. This baby shouldn't be possible. If someone scanned that you'd be put up in front of a medical board for study." He told her seriously making her go pale. "It wont be a problem though. I'll check your health and that of the baby's ever once in a while and Uncle Kev can act as your midwife and sign the birth certificate if you want. That way it will be legitimate without you needing an appointment."

Josh was surprised when she actually hugged him. His breath rushed out of him in one great whoosh. He let her pull back when she needed to, her face alive and without any sign of restraint or sadness. "You have to be careful though Martha. Your body's not designed to carry a baby. Any upset could cause it harm and because of your inability to conceive I might have trouble healing any damage." Josh told her sternly. "I wish I could heal you, Mrs. Kent, but it's a birth defect and I cant heal those. I don't know how you conceived but don't waste it."

"I'll let Jonathan know but please don't tell Clark yet. I don't want to raise his hopes." Martha smiled gently.

"As far as I can see you'll have a perfectly healthy child but I wont tell him. I'll check up on you once and a while when I drop or pick up Ryan." Josh told her.

"I should be going. I'll have to cancel my appointment though it was ten minutes ago." She looked guilty. "It was with Helen Bryce."

"I'll give her an excuse, it's something that I do around her, carry messages and the like." Josh told her. "She was the doctor set on your case wasn't she?"

Martha nodded. "Could you do me another huge favour?" She asked with a rather shameful look. "She took a sample of Clark's blood when he was ill."

Josh held up his hand to forestall her. "I don't want to know the why's. Ryan loves you three so I'll do everything I can. I'll see what she still has and see what I can do to make it disappear."

"Thank you so much, Josh." She smiled. "Heaven's knows what we'd do without you around recently."

"It's the least I can do for you looking out for Ryan." Josh nodded before he left the room. He'd have to wait until Doctor Bryce left that evening but he'd get the blood sample and anything on the tests she did.

Josh was working near the nurse's station when they brought him in. Two burly social services men were holding him rather tightly as he struggled to free himself. Josh stepped to the side and wasn't seen but the look on Cyrus' face was nothing less than petrified. He stopped the woman that was following them and let her recognise him as a hospital volunteer.

"What's wrong with him?" Josh asked.

"He cant be controlled. Keeps ranting." She told him with disdain. "His foster parents cant handle him so we're holding him here until someone can come collect him. People like him should be locked up rather than allowed to roam free." Josh ignored her last words as he walked away, he didn't have time for people with her ideals. He grabbed the phone from the nurse's station and dialled the Kent farm.

He didn't know what pushed him to call them, he could get Cyrus out but he'd need help, at least Clark knew his secret so that wouldn't be a problem. Nobody answered, obviously Martha hadn't gotten back yet. Josh slammed the phone down before thinking. Lana.

The Talon's phone rang twice before a distracted Lana answered. "Lana, it's me, Josh."

"Josh, did you hear about Cyrus?" Lana asked. "Child Protective Services came into the Talon and carted him off."

"I know, they just brought him in here." Josh told her. "Can you do me a favour? I cant get a hold of Clark and he's the only one that can help me get him out."

"Why do you need to get him out?" Lana asked.

"You saw what he did to Tyson, Lana." Josh sighed. "Do you really think he deserves to be locked up in a mental institute or even experimented on?"

"Oh god." This didn't seemed to have occurred to her. Josh had talked to her earlier and she had been incredibly grateful to Cyrus. Josh knew she's do what she could. "I'll find Clark and let him know. Thanks Josh." She hung up.

Josh found Cyrus not ten minutes later, he was alone in a private room but he wasn't guarded. The reason for this became obvious to Josh. Cyrus was strapped to the bed. "Dear God!" Josh gasped as he walked to Cyrus' side.

"I'd hoped I'd see you here." Cyrus groaned as he tested the straps.

"I've already called Lana, she's getting Clark to come help me bust you out of here." Josh told him as he helped Cyrus to his glass of water. After Cyrus had drunk, Josh loosened the straps ever so slightly to give him a breather and pulled up the back of the bed so that Cyrus could see around the room. "I've got something to do before I finish work but Clark should be here soon and he'll be able to get you out. I'll try to be back before you leave."

"Thanks Josh." Cyrus asked. "Are you sure you're not an alien?"

"Pretty much." Josh laughed.

"You could still come. They'd accept you." Cyrus protested.

"How do you know that, Cyrus?" Josh asked. "How do you know that their world isn't worse than this one?"

Cyrus couldn't answer and just closed his eyes. Josh shook his head slowly and left the room. Josh headed towards Doctor Bryce's office. She's finished work an hour ago and Josh had already 'broken' the VCR recording from the security camera outside her office. He snuck in with the janitors stolen keys since he knew where they were kept and went straight for her cooler. He knew that her computer didn't hold any medical files, it was her way. Everything was saved on disk and hidden in a safe place. A safe place he happened to already know.

He thanked the gods in this case that he retained so much useless information and that he was hyper observant. He pulled out the tube labelled C. Kent and pocketed it after removing the name tag. It wouldn't be a strange thing to see him walking around with a test tube of blood since he couriered that sort of thing all day. He slipped out the disks from under the cooler and glanced over the names. He regretted the loss of the other information on one of them but after finding the right disk he changed the label onto a blank one from his pocket and pushed them all back under making sure that the blank one with Clark's name, plus a few others, was pushed back onto the cooling mechanism.

To anybody else it would seem that Doctor Bryce pushed them too far backwards and that the cold wiped the information on it. He check for anything in paper but she'd obviously decided against it. Something that he was grateful for was that Doctor Bryce kept everything to do with work in her office in an attempt to keep work and personal life separate. That suited him perfectly.

He found police officers running around the ward where Cyrus had been and he was even stopped by the sheriff asking if he'd seen him. He told her that he hadn't seen Cyrus since he'd given him a drink twenty minutes ago. She looked at him suspiciously but he was a volunteer after all and not likely to have helped a mental patient escape.

He finished the last twenty minutes of his shift before he drove to the Kent farm. He saw light on in the barn where Ryan and Clark normally hung out. He walked in and heard voices talking up in Clark's space.

"John and Maggie Burnet and their son William. They disappeared the day of the meteor shower." Chloe was saying. "Rescue workers suspected that they were vaporized when their farmhouse was hit, but no remains were ever found."

"If their son survived, he'd be too young to remember what happened." Pete Ross pointed out as Josh mounted the steps.

"The older couple that adopted Cyrus lived half a mile away from the Burnet house." Chloe summed up. Josh knocked as he reached the top of the stairs. He was still wearing his hospital uniform.

"Were you eavesdropping on us?" Pete glared.

"Yes, Ross!" Josh said rather sarcastically. "That's why I just knocked. So you could jump to conclusions and accost me."

"What are you doing then?" Pete snapped.

"That, Ross, is between me and Clark." Josh replied. "And since you are talking about Cyrus and I just risked my job to help him escape I think I should be included, especially since half of Smallville's finest _and_ Child Protection is out looking for him."

"Lana told me you called to warn her. Thanks." Clark said after sending a silencing look at his best friend. "But we can handle the rest."

Chloe rolled her eyes and stepped forward. "We were just proving that Cyrus wasn't an Alien but an Orphan." Pete sent her a withering look but stepped back from the tension a bit.

"I'm sure he'll be glad to know you've been looking up his past. Is there anyone in this town you haven't done that to, Chloe?" Josh knew he sounded rather harsh but she had been looking into his own after all. She took the stab in her stride but she did look rather abashed. "Ryan told me you researched me when I took him in and that Clark set you on me."

"We were only looking after Ryan." Clark protested.

"I let Ryan stay here without prying into your past, Clark. The least you can do is trust me." Josh sighed. "Ross, Chloe, can you give us a minute?"

Chloe made to move down the stairs but Pete paused until Clark nodded that it was ok. "What's up?" Clark asked.

"You're mother asked a favour of me. One of those I wont ask questions but do it regardless of its peculiarity and risk of me getting arrested." Josh laughed. "This is the blood sample that Doctor Bryce took of you and her hardcopy with your name on it."

"What did you do?" Clark asked rather shocked as he looked at the test tube and disk in his hand.

"I did what your mother wanted to pay you back for looking after Ryan." Josh told him. "As far as I know that is everything she had on you."

"What did my mom tell you?" Clark asked looking rather worried.

"I don't care what your secret is, Clark. I dare say Ryan knows it and since he still loves you I'm sure its not bad." Josh shook his head. "I haven't looked at either of those by the way, that I promise. I only ask that you don't look at the other files on that disk if you even need to look at it. They are personal to those people."

"Of course." Clark nodded. "Thank you, Josh."

"I still don't like you that much, Clark." Josh told him sternly. "You've made mistakes and hurt myself and Ryan with no proper explanation. Ryan might forgive you for that but I'm not as easy going as him. But I am willing to recognise the good you've done. You've helped people more than you've hurt them but that isn't the case for me."

"I know I hurt you." Josh cut him off with a held up hand.

"Until you can explain yourself then I don't want to hear apologies and excuses. Goodnight Clark." Josh turned to leave. "Oh and if Cyrus is out there trying to contact his non-existent family you had better go and find him before the police do."

XOXOXOXOXOX

**Home**

Josh walked into the room tiredly and collapsed beside Ryan who was watching the TV. "Cyrus isn't an alien." Josh told him. "His name's William Burnet, his parents were killed in the meteor storm. He must have gained his abilities then."

Ryan just nodded, "You know what's weird, deep down I thought he was telling the truth." Josh nodded but Ryan continued. "In the car I thought I heard his voice in my head. Like I used to."

Josh's head snapped round. "Are you sure?" He asked worriedly.

"I don't know, it seems less likely every time I think about it. Maybe I just imagined it." Ryan sighed.

"Imagined what, Ryan?" His Uncle walked in. "Oh, hi, Josh. How was work?"

"Eventful but I promised not to say anything. And Ryan thought he heard this by Cyrus' thoughts earlier." Josh explained. His uncle let the first thing go easily enough but was concerned for Ryan.

"Why don't you scan him and check his tumour isn't back." His Uncle suggested. Josh leant over and placed his hand on the top of Ryan's head. He focused and sent his powers forward again to sense it's way through his younger brother's brain. He shook his head as he pulled away.

"There no growth but their elevated levels of chemicals in the region where the tumour was." Josh told them. "Maybe your mind reading ability wasn't completely removed along with the tumour. Maybe your body has worked out how to mimic it without the detrimental effect."

"I don't know if I can stand all those voices again." Ryan looked at them both rather frightened.

"I should be able to reduce the chemical imbalance temporarily which would reduce it's strength but I'd have to keep doing it. But since it's taken almost three months to show itself that shouldn't be hard." Josh assured him. "Besides this is all theoretical, I might be mistaken."

"Yeah, maybe." Ryan sighed. "Maybe having it back wont be so bad, I can protect you better that way."

Josh pulled him into a one armed hug and ruffled his hair. "You protect me, I think it's the other way around brat!" Ryan laughed but didn't make any effort to move from Josh's side.

Their Uncle was about to stand to get dinner when a helicopter flew low over the house. Josh listened as it slowed to a stop perhaps half a mile away within the forest their house backed onto.

"A pickup drove that way a couple of minutes before you got home." Ryan said with a frown.

"What kind?" Josh asked with a frown.

"I don't know, I think it was red. They were driving quite fast, that's why I remembered it." Ryan informed him.

"Kyle." Josh muttered before standing. "Uncle Kev!" He yelled before running from the room.

"What?" His Uncle called coming from the kitchen at a hurry.

"I need your help!" Josh told him quickly about Cyrus and his concerns about him being hurt as he threw on a coat and told Ryan to stay in the house. He jumped in his Jeep and started the engine as his Uncle grabbed his medical kit and jumped into the passenger seat. Josh drove with a fury down the logging road that ran from the end of their sparsely housed road and into the forest.

He pulled into a clearing under the helicopter which was still hovering with its search light spilling over the area. A tall metallic structure rose from the centre of the clearing but any electronics on it were dead. He left the Jeep running as he jumped out. Kyle and his gang were gather by Kyle's pickup whilst Clark bent over an unconscious Cyrus.

"Clark!" Josh cried as he crouched next to him. "What happened?"

"Cyrus healed Kyle's broken neck and then just collapsed." Clark explained. "He muttered about missing it and then just went limp."

Uncle Kev knelt beside them and started to check Cyrus for injuries and Josh grabbed Cyrus' hand and flooded him with his power. Uncle Kev and Clark both moved slightly to block the light from reaching Kyle's gang or being seen from the helicopter. Blue lights flashed through the trees as cars approached but Josh didn't see any of this. A well of torment hit him like a tidal wave and behind it was nothing. Josh could sense that Cyrus was physically fine and that his brain was functioning normally but there was no activity coming from his conscious mind. It was there but it wasn't responding to anything.

He poured his own power around it trying to tease it into a reaction and he did feel a slight twitch before it receded, refusing to come out a second time. Josh withdrew with a sigh and sat back on his heels. "He's physically fine but his mind isn't working any longer. It's there but it refuses to react. I got a response but only for a second." Josh looked up at Clark. "It wasn't healing the broken neck, I think it was the idea of missing his family or of facing reality. He's drawn himself back into his own world. Like a full mental breakdown." Josh dropped his head.

"Cant you heal it though?" Clark asked with an equally sad voice.

"There's nothing physically wrong with him and even if I could pull him out it wouldn't change the fact. I'd only be bringing him into a reality he has hidden himself from." Josh chocked slightly. He hated being helpless.

His Uncle glanced up as a police car came to a stop next to the Jeep and the sheriff got out. He turned to the two. "These things aren't hopeless though, he might heal himself in time if Josh keeps tempting him out." He got up with that to speak with the Sheriff in an official capacity.

"What's going to happen to him?" Clark asked. Josh stared down at the blank face of Cyrus before looking back.

"He'll be put in a long term ward and his brain waves monitored for any sign of activity." Josh sighed. "I'll keep an eye on him and do what I can to pull him out but it could be months or years before he responds, if he even does."

"Who's going to pay for his care though?" Clark brought up the obvious question and Josh had to blink, he hadn't even considered it. "I could ask Lex."

"Who Luthor?" Josh gasped. "Not a chance, I'm not letting the Luthors anywhere near him. I'll pay for his care."

"Can you afford it?" Clark stared at him.

"I can afford a lot of things, Clark. I just don't flaunt it like the Luthors do." Josh sighed. He was always glad at times like this that his Uncle had thought of liquidising his Gringotts accounts and putting the money in Muggle banks.

"Mr. Kent. I need to get a statement from you." The sheriff came over with a sour look on her face. Josh looked around, Kyle and his friends were giving reports but they seems cautious over mentioning his healing abilities and what they did say didn't seem to be having an effect on the deputies questioning them. They spent another ten minutes there until an ambulance came to take Cyrus to the hospital with Uncle Kev to watch over him and deal with the paper work. Josh said goodbye to Clark at his house, refusing the offer of a lift choosing instead to walk home to clear his head.

Josh told everything to Ryan who had evidently attempted to cook dinner in their absence and failed miserably. Josh ordered them a pizza since his Uncle wasn't likely to return anytime soon and disappeared to leave a message for a friend in Metropolis, the only person over then his Uncle and Ryan that he could be completely honest with. No matter how he acted around Ryan, Cyrus' state really hit a nerve with him. He hated being helpless.

XOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	6. Getting Away

Outsiders

Chapter 6; Getting Away

**Smallville Medical Centre**

Josh walked from Cyrus' room with a rather subdued look. The Doctors and Nurses at the centre knew that he had befriended the boy just before his breakdown two weeks ago and that he always looked in on him when he was on duty. It helped that it was his Uncle that was the primary doctor on the case even if he wasn't a resident in Smallville.

Josh had been searching for Cyrus' mind everything other day since the breakdown but hadn't gotten another response like the first time. It was only the fact that he was paying for Cyrus' board and care that the Centre didn't try to declare him officially brain dead and beyond hope.

He walked around a corner on his way to the changing room so he could change and almost walked straight into Doctor Bryce. She glared at him slightly before speaking. "What have I told you about that sweat band, Mr. Ackervey?"

Josh let his eyes roll up as if looking onto his forehead. The blood red sweatband that covered his burn scar and his unruly silver streaked black hair was a ongoing sense of distress for the rather uptight Doctor and Josh loved it. It pissed her off every time she saw him. "I believe you say about that every time, Doctor Bryce, I'm not sure I remember what it was you said when we first met."

"Let me refresh your memory then, Mr. Ackervey." She responded tartly. "I told you that it wasn't suitable dress code."

"And I remember telling you that since I'm a volunteer here I don't have to even where scrubs. I only wear them so that the patients I talk to know that I actually work here. If it's the combination that is offensive to you I could always come in my normal clothing that matches my messy hair and sweat band." He almost laughed as she pulled herself up and with feigned dignity span and walked off with her head held high. That had to have been the sixth time he had had that conversation with her since she had started working here just after himself.

She turned to glance at him and with a rather impetuous motion he ruffled his own hair. The normally trapped hair settled down outside of his sweatband and he grinned mischievously at her before ducking into the changing room.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The Talon**

Josh walked into the coffee shop and noticed that it was looking rather empty. Lana was at the opposite end at the counter cleaning glasses and a group of three men, probably about twenty-two years of age, sat near to the stairs up to the second floor. They were joking and laughing like people did when they were tipsy. Josh walked passed them stoically and settled into a stool at the counter.

"Hi, Lana." He said making the girl jump ever so slightly and almost dropping the mug she was wiping.

"Oh, Josh. I didn't hear you come in!" She cried after controlling herself and seeing who it was who had spoken.

"I'm not really surprised with that lot over there!" Josh chuckled. "What did you give them?"

"_I _didn't give them anything. I think they've been spiking the coffee." Lana shuddered. "I've wanted to kick them out but I don't have the guts to do up to them."

"And I'm sure they know it and are milking it." Josh nodded his head and accepted the mug of weak coffee she handed to him. She knew by now when Josh worked and that he always stopped off here to chat to her before going to the Kent Farm to collect Ryan. Tonight though Ryan was being dropped off here by Clark.

"I was relying on you being on time. Hopefully Clark will get here soon and they wont try anything when I shut the place up for the night." Lana admitted and Josh nodded to show that he didn't mind her presumption. He had shown her his skill in martial arts after all when Tina had knocked him flying.

"You should call the Sheriff, I think I saw her car driving around here on my way into town." Josh suggested. "She'd be happy to come even if it turned out to be nothing. Plus it wouldn't hurt you to employ someone else when you're working alone, Lana."

"So you've said." Lana chuckled but whatever she was going to say next was cut off when a loud voice interrupted them.

"Hey!" One of the men called. "We heard this place had the friendliest service in town."

Lana seemed to completely snap all in one instant. "Just leave!"

Josh felt his eyebrows disappear up into the uncontrolled fringe, that was rather spiteful for Lana, then again she had been here alone with the obnoxious twits for a while now. "Ah. That's no way to talk to a customer!" The man said as if wounded and took a step forward toward her.

Josh stood in one fluid motion and stepped between the man and Lana. "I believe that Lana has just shut the Talon. Therefore you are no longer a customer. I think it's time you left."

For a man half drunk with whisky he didn't half move fast and before Josh knew it he was being knocked to one side. Josh hadn't been ready for anything so violent and since the man was probably double his weight he couldn't really do anything when he was slammed into one of the bar stools and sent crashing to the ground.

Josh was getting up in an instant but wasn't fast enough to block the man's attempt at Lana again. "Hey!" The man yelled in anger as Lana's arm disappeared under the counter. Josh hadn't known that she had a panic alarm fitted, obviously she had taken his advice to heart. Unfortunately most college boys don't think to clearly when drunk. He grabbed her before Josh could fully get up from the floor and the debris of the few fallen stools and threw her backwards into the disk rack. It fell with a crash on top of her. The man knelt quickly beside her and tilted up her chin. Josh jumped forwards to knock him away but two sets of arms arrested his motion and he found himself being held tightly by the man's two friends. "Why don't we take this into the back and have a private party?"

Josh kicked one of his captors in the ankle enough to send the man crumbling sideways releasing him. He was about to twist out of the second man's grip when the door opened and Clark walked in with Ryan behind. Ryan gasped at the scene but looked utterly lost as to what to do. Josh used the distraction to twist out of the man's grip and spin the stumbling man over to the one accosting Lana. Both were sent into a heap and he stood between them and Lana again.

Across the room Clark had pulled Ryan close in behind him and Josh found himself grateful for the proof of Clark's devotion to protecting Ryan.

"Get away from them." Clark ordered as the three got themselves upright again.

"Isn't it past your bed time?" The ringleader asked patronisingly.

"Look, the police are on their way." Clark pointed out logically. "Right now."

Josh didn't know whether Clark knew that for fact or was just bluffing but it seemed to work. The three glanced at each other. "Come on, let's go." The leader said and they headed for the door. Josh spun on his heel and crouched down.

"Gods, Lana." He asked. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah." She said rather shakily before smiling up at him. Josh helped her to her feet and turned to find Ryan standing in front of him. Ryan hugged him quickly obviously worried from seeing him held by somebody much bigger then his fifteen year old older adopted brother. "Where's Clark gone?"

"Oh god, he's done it again." Josh sighed and ran his hand through his hair. It wasn't the first time Clark had disappeared from a room without telling anyone where he was going. "Where did he go, Ry?"

Ryan looked rather sheepish. The look he got when he knew something he shouldn't. "I think he went outside."

"Why?" Josh asked before shaking his head. "Never mind, let's go find him before he gets himself hurt."

The three walked outside but came up short just outside the door after hearing a loud crash. The sight outside shocked them all. The sheriff's patrol car sat against the curb with the ringleader on the now smashed front window. Clark stood near to the two others having obviously knocked them around a bit. Josh found himself thinking that working on a farm must be a good muscle builder since it wouldn't have been easy to lift and drop a man of the ring leader's weight onto the bonnet of a car. Though it might have been better for Clark if it hadn't been the sheriff's car.

They stood in shocked silence for a time before the Sheriff got over herself and move to check the ringleader's rather unconscious form. "Ry, take Lana inside would you?" He asked his little brother since Lana seemed rather shocked as she stared at Clark. Ryan gave him a look that stated that he was only doing it because it was sensible and not because he'd been told to and Josh rolled his eyes at him before heading for the car so he could check the Ringleader physically.

The sheriff recognised him from her frequent trips to the hospital so let him administer what first aid he wanted without comment whilst she went to call an ambulance and check on the others and probably to question Clark.

Josh didn't bother to use his abilities to try to help the man, in his opinion he got what was coming to him but he didn't check the man's body to make sure he was going to survive. He finished checking all three just as the ambulance arrived. He gave a quick run off of his findings to the paramedic's and after the first few sentences that showed his medical knowledge they listened attentively before moving to help the three.

Josh was about to go inside and check that Lana was ok when the Sheriff stopped him. "Mr. Ackervey I believe it is. I need a statement from you." She told him.

"Can we do this inside?" Josh asked, "Only Lana Lang is probably rather distraught since these three did try to molest her before Clark arrived. I'd like to check she hasn't gone into shock. If that's ok with you of course?"

She glared at him slightly but nodded and rather forcefully led the two inside.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Josh pulled to a stop in the Kent's drive way and open the side door to get out even as Ryan hopped out of the side. He went to dash away but Josh called out.

"I'm not carrying your bag in, Ry!" Ryan came up short and quickly lugged his bag out of the back seat before running for the house. Josh followed at a slightly more subdued pace and found Ryan talking at a hundred miles an hour to Martha Kent in the kitchen. He nodded at Martha with a smile just as Jonathan Kent walked in behind him from the farm with a dirty cloth in his hand.

"Hello, Josh." He said after shaking his head slightly at Ryan enthusiasm.

"Good Morning, Mr. Kent." He said rather louder than necessary and got the desired effect when Ryan closed his mouth with a sheepish look and greeted Jonathan properly before letting Josh speak. "Good Morning, Mrs. Kent. Thank you again for looking after Ry while I'm in Metropolis."

All anybody knew was that he was going to see some old friends for the weekend and Ryan was going to stay with the Kents for the weekend. The fact that he hadn't told anyone who he was going to see or where he was going hadn't been noticed.

"Of course, Josh. We're happy to help. Clark should be up in his loft Ryan if you want to go find him." Martha told them. Ryan nodded before hugging Josh goodbye and running from the room.

Josh glanced at Jonathan before turning back to Martha. "Did you want me to do a check up before I leave?"

"If you don't mind." Martha told him. "I've been feeling a bit queasy lately but I think it's normal."

"I'll check." Josh nodded. Jonathan glanced out of the window to make sure that Ryan had run into the barn and to keep watch as Martha lifted her shirt to bare her abdomen. Josh gently laid a hand on her skin and let his senses spill forth. He shut his eyes as he listened to his ability as it swept through her. She was in good health apart from her ovaries. The baby was physically fine too and her queasiness was just her body naturally adjusting to the babies presence. There was one thing that worried him though but it wasn't something to worry about just yet.

He looked up at her as he pulled back his hand and smiled reassuringly at her. "It's doing just fine. There's only one thing to look out for though, your immune system is questioning its existence. Normally it would be fine but since your body isn't capable of getting pregnant I'll have to keep an eye on it."

"Should we be worried?" Jonathan asked as he came up to them.

"Most pregnancies go through the same thing, in most cases the body will except it. In others it will reject the baby and it'll end up with a miscarriage. With you, there is a greater chance of its being rejected." Josh told her seriously. "We'll see what's happening when I get back from Metropolis. I'll subdue your immune system if I think it's becoming a threat."

"Why not subdue it now?" Martha asked.

"If I have to subdue it, I'd have to keep doing it every week at the least." Josh told them. "If I let it settle naturally it would be much better for you since you wont be at risk of catching something whilst it's subdued."

"Thanks again, Josh." Martha said.

"I'll leave you my cell number. Ryan's got it and so does Lana but it would be best if you could get through to me if something happens." Josh told them as he scribbled down the number. "We've had to keep and eye on Ryan's head lately. He's started getting snap shots of whispering and whilst I've only registered a slight increase in chemical where he tumour was it's got me worried. If he feels faint or gets a headache I've told him he has to tell you but I'd appreciate it if you'd keep an eye on him."

"Of course. We'll call you if anything happens." Martha assured him.

"Thanks." Josh nodded before he left, he beeped the horn a few times as he drove slowly passed the barn and got a wave from Ryan as he drove off toward the city.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Josh found the flat easily enough and parked in the large parking area behind the ten story building. For some reason a smile came to his face, he'd liked living in the city, seeing his Uncle every night, hanging out with his few friends in the evenings and almost as important, his anonymity that came with living in such a large city. In Smallville he was known by his strange loner reputation by most of his year, if not the school. The town's sheriff knew him by name, as did the school teachers, it wasn't really a safe place for somebody on the run to live, but then again they hadn't seen a Wizard for nearly three years now.

He mused over it for the whole trip up to one of the apartments on the top floor. They'd started looking for him, or rather Harry Potter, when he turned eleven after he ignored the poor owl that had shocked him one morning during breakfast on the west coast. They'd moved shortly after that and had caught sight of several Wizard's in the town's they stayed in for too long but eventually a year before he came to Smallville, when they had moved to Metropolis, they hadn't seen another one.

He mostly hoped they'd given up trying to find him but part of him was curious to learn more about the magic that he supposedly had and wanted to be found. Then again that part of him was firmly overridden by common sense. These people had put him with his _relatives_ who had tried to kill him by slitting his throat, they obviously didn't have his best interests at heart. No strange knowledge could ever convince him to risk another episode of that.

Josh opened the unlocked door and walked in, calling out to see if anyone was there. He found himself impressed by the place and highly doubted his friend had paid for it with honest money. It was far more likely that he'd swiped some poor persons wallet and used their credit card. He'd done the same thing countless times whenever he hadn't been able to sneak in to Josh's room when he lived in Metropolis or in Seattle.

He felt arms surround his waist and grinned. He recognised the touch instantly as did his healing abilities that always felt that something was off about the person. He leaned back against the slightly taller boy with a sigh as he dropped his duffel bag to the floor. "Hi." He muttered.

He felt a peck on the side of his neck before he got a response just as he was spun around. "Hey, Josh. I was beginning to think you weren't going to show."

"Like I told you, I had to arrange for somebody to look after Ryan." Josh told him.

"Oh right, the new little brother." He responded with a raised eyebrow. "You said you were going to explain that one."

"Later." Josh laughed. "That's your problem you know, you never want to just sit back and relax."

"Yeah…and?" The other boy smirked slightly.

"Well, that kinda ruins the whole relaxing thing I had planned this weekend." Josh smirked back before flopping down on the plush couch. He glanced up after a few seconds and grinned victoriously. "Are you going to join me or just stand there, Bart?"

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	7. Temptations

Outsiders

Chapter 7; Temptations

Josh woke up completely relaxed for the first time in months. He felt warm and contended without a care in the world. That was when he realised that he wasn't alone; there was a warm body against his own. He glanced at the clock trying not to wake Bart up and saw that it was already ten in the morning.

He groaned as he sat up slowly but soothed himself in the knowledge that Bart would be sorer than he was. A small groan from his brown haired 'boyfriend' made him lie back down again. Bart rolled over and sleepily draped his hand across Josh's chest.

"Why do you have to get up so early?" Bart's words were as clear as ever even if he sounded tired.

"It's ten. It's not early, Bart." Bart began to stroke his fingers along Josh's neck scar, the six inch knife cut that had so nearly killed him. Bart was the only one he was really comfortable showing his scars too. He was easing up to Ryan seeing it since it was inevitable for the younger boy to see him without his sweatband on. "You use up too much energy, it's not healthy."

Bart laughed. "Well if I get too bad you can always heal me." Bart joked and Josh turned his head to face him. Bart brought his hand up to gently brush Josh's burn scar tenderly but Josh recoiled away violently surprising both of them. He shuddered slightly and slipped out of bed. He slipped on his boxers and jeans before wandering to the balcony and looking out across Metropolis. Bart was standing beside him, fully dressed, in a second. Josh sighed at Bart's attempt to cheer him up but after seeing Bart's normal getting ready in a second rather than twenty minutes got old after a while. "Why are you so shy about your scar all of a sudden?"

Josh hung his head and sighed. "I had a run in with one of the guys at my new school."

"You can't already be making yourself an outcast. You're worse at that than I am!" Bart laughed slightly but sobered quickly. "What did he do?"

"Stole my notebooks, suggested that my parents were the ones to scar me and then ripped my headband off in front of the only people I'd opened up around." Josh looked up at him with tears in his eyes. He pushed them down quickly.

"I'll kill him!"

"No you won't." Josh countered.

"You do realise that you couldn't stop me, I could get to Smallville and back before you get out of the building." Bart told him.

"But you won't." Josh stated.

"Why not?" Bart frowned.

"Because I asked you not to." Bart gave him a defeated sigh as he admitted defeat. He liked to pretend he was free from any conscience but when it came to Josh he had no control whatsoever. Both of them were a tad too starstruck with each other. "There's something off about him. He has his secrets."

"Oh? And we don't?" Bart retorted with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know what his is. I'm betting Ryan knows though." He'd explained Ryan to Bart while they were falling asleep the night before.

"Does this mystery guy know anything about you?" Bart looked concerned.

"He knows about my healing abilities. I cured him from a bacterial infection that was threatening to kill him." Josh explained. "And I am monitoring his mother's pregnancy though he doesn't know it yet. Ryan has a thing for the guy; he saved him from being experimented on."

"So he doesn't know about your magic?" Bart asked anxiously.

Josh shook his head in the negative but winced all the same. "When he stole my headband and diary I lost control of it again and shattered a vase in front of him and three others."

Bart winced. "You need to train that up. We thought it would be a problem as you grew more powerful. Isn't that what your Uncle's sister warned before she died? If you didn't get training it would get out of control."

Josh nodded. "It's been getting worse too. I have to keep my temper in check. My bedroom windows have cracked twice in the last month before Ryan keeps making me jump."

"Maybe you should try and get hold of some books from the Wizards and train yourself?" Bart suggested though they'd been over this before.

"You know that wouldn't work, they rely on wands and we've tried wands before. They don't work with my healing powers, they short circuit too easily." Josh sighed. "It would have to be a book on Sorcery and Witchcraft."

"That's what your healing abilities are right?" Bart clarified. Josh nodded tiredly. "Well, I wasn't planning a run to Europe but you never know what I might accidentally find."

Josh yelped and jumped around to face Bart. "You're kidding right!" He cried. "You do realise that there are supposedly only two books in the world that teach Sorcerers magic and only a few personalised spell books written by old Sorcerers and Witches. I'd have to use every dime in my account to buy even one of them. _If_ I could find who has them."

"Who said anything about buying them?" Bart asked.

"You're serious aren't you?" Josh frowned.

"Yes." Bart told him. "I looked into it already. The normal world wouldn't have that kind of book. It would be too extreme for them, that leaves the Wizard's world and I can get in passed their security easily."

Josh cut him off quickly with a sound kiss on the lips that left him gasping for breath. "Thanks. Promise me something though."

"Sure." Bart nodded red in the face.

"Don't do anything risky." Josh ordered.

Bart nodded. "Promise."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two days later**

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Kent. I didn't mean to be running so later but I got stuck in traffic trying to get out of the city." Josh was driving down the main road between Metropolis and Smallville. It was a good two hour drive but Josh had left Metropolis three hours ago and he still had half an hour to go. He was just coming up to the outskirts of Smallville's farms and passed the Luthor Corp fertiliser plant when he decided he needed to call the Kent farm and check that they wouldn't mind feeding Ryan tonight. They were supposed to have gone into town to eat but that wasn't an option anymore.

"That's perfectly fine, Josh. He was really looking forward to it though." Martha told him.

"Oh." Josh felt really guilty. "Is he around, I'll apologise to him."

"He's out with Clark playing with the tractor." Josh's eyes disappeared into his hair in amusement. Josh switched the phone to hands free so he could pull off the main North-western road and closer to Smallville.

"Well just tell him that I'll pick him up in a while and we'll go out to eat tomorrow with Uncle Kev when he gets back from his conference." Josh told her. He was just about to hang up the phone when movement on the other side of the road caught his attention. He vaguely heard Martha saying that Ryan had just walked in when the secure car on the other side of the road flipped over.

He slammed on his breaks and swerved the car in an attempt to dodge the flying truck but it didn't do him any good. He could hear Ryan screaming down the phone along with Martha before his world erupted in pain and he blacked out.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Kent Farm**

"Ryan, go get Clark to start up the car!" Martha told the fourteen year old while she dialled 911 into the phone even though she didn't want to cancel the still connected call to Josh's phone. She glanced at the pale boy still shaking in the middle of the kitchen. She'd just been handing the phone to him when whatever it was had happened and they'd both heard the crash and Josh's scream of pain. "Ryan! Please, go!"

The boy went rigid and almost tripped as he scrambled for the door hurtling across the drive towards the barn screaming at the top of his voice. The phone connected.

"I need an ambulance. I was on the phone to a friend when we heard a loud crash and a scream of pain. We couldn't get him on the line again!" She explained everything she knew to them even as a tear crept from her eyes.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Smallville Medical Centre**

Riley felt like a dead weight. He was used to waking up like this so it only took him a few seconds to work everything out. He was in the Hospital with enough drugs to give him that happy buzz though his healing abilities were already deadening their effects.

He cursed his healing abilities in that second, whilst it removed toxins from his body - painkillers being counted under that category - it wasn't possible for him to heal himself. He picked his head up and had to fight to control the swirl of colours enough to make out the room. The shutters on the windows were open allowing light in from both the hallway and from the grey sky outside. Morning then.

'_The question is which morning.'_ Harry thought sardonically. His left leg was in a cast from the top of his knee down completely over his foot. His left arm felt extremely sore as well and after lifting it he saw the cuts and scratches the whole way along it. None looked at risk of infection and obviously his doctor didn't see the need to bandage it. His right hand, the one that had been on top of the steering wheel was bandaged rather heavily and he could already make out a faint line of blood coming through on the top of his hand. He flexed his fingers of that hand and nearly cried out at the pain.

He saw his medical chart in the slot at the bottom of his bed with a contemptuous glare knowing that with a possibly broken leg and a bleeding hand and god knew what else under the bandages around his chest he stood no chance of reaching it without help. As if on cue the door opened and a nurse he recognised, and happened to like, walked into the room. She glanced at him automatically before bustling around the room to open the window, check his stats and even his pulse, all without really noticing he was awake. Granted the main reason for her oversight was that he hadn't spoken like most if not all patients did.

As she moved to leave the room he spoke up. "Do you think you could prop me up before you go, Anna? The ceiling's rather boring."

"Josh!" She screamed loud enough for two doctors walking down the hall to hear her. They looked in cautiously before smirking and walking off. "Don't do that to me? You had us all so worried."

"Did I?" Josh raised his eyebrows before tilting his head towards the side of the bed. She dashed forwards and helped him to sit up so that she could raise the end of the bed. He brought his IV dripped hand up to his forehead and was half glad that he had a full head bandage on to cover his scar though he was kind of annoyed that people had obviously had a good chance to see his burn scar.

"Don't worry too much Josh." Anna gave him a small smile. "Not many of us actually saw your scar. As soon as Doctor Bryce cleaned up the blood and saw it she ordered most out until you were bandaged up."

"She has a heart in there somewhere then?" Josh laughed but went very quiet as the said Doctor and the Sheriff walked in with stern looks. "Quick, Anna, pretend I'm asleep!"

The sheriff remained stern but he saw a quick twitch of a smile from Doctor Bryce as Anna giggled like a school girl rather than the mid-thirties nurse she was. "Joshua Ackervey?"

"Why is the first question always one with an obvious answer?" Josh asked with a serious expression. "Do you not know what small talk is?"

"This is serious Mr. Ackervey." The sheriff pointed out.

"Oh really?" Josh laughed. "I'd never have thought that!" He said gesturing to his rather crippled and in pain form. He winced slightly as the movement of his arm made shooting pains go through his head. '_Oh great, mild concussion.'_

"I need to ask you a few questions about the accident." The sheriff started but Josh interrupted her with a pointed look.

"Accident?" He raised his eyebrows but the movement again made him wish he had the gift of foresight. "My questions first, I have just woken up." He looked pointedly at the Doctor.

"He's right." Doctor Bryce put in before the Sheriff could complain. "I should be running an examination right now instead of this interrogation."

The sheriff sighed but caved in though it was obvious she didn't want to. Josh waited patiently as Doctor Bryce did a few tests on him. Undid his head bandage and left it off. Check his chest bandage which was there to restrict motion to his bruised or fractured ribs and then redid the bandage on his hand. Josh got a good look at it, obviously something had split into the back of his hand.

"You were lucky that the shrapnel didn't sever any tendons but the less you do with it the better. The leg casket had better stay on for the next two weeks but then we'll put you in a shorter one so you can have some movement once we are sure that your foot is in good shape." The Doctor told him. "You have a nasty cut on the side of your head and a few bruised ribs. Those and the scratches will heal in time but I'm ordering you to bed rest though I don't see any reason that you can't do that at home."

"Really?" Josh was surprised. He'd just had a car dropped on him and she was letting him out after just one night in hospital.

"I understand that you are well aware of what needs to be done to keep you healthy so I am giving you the benefit of doubt. There isn't anything we need to keep you here to do but just keep an eye on yourself and come back if you notice anything out of the ordinary." She told him. She made to leave with Anna but Josh stopped them.

"Do you think you could…?" He trailed off with a helpless gesture with his scratched hand up at his scar.

"I think they have some in the gift shop. I'll bring one up for you." Anna told him with a sad smile.

"Thank Anna." Josh nodded. She left with a last smile and Josh turned back to the Sheriff who carefully sat herself in the chair next to the bed. "I don't think you'll need the notebook."

"Did you not see much then?"

"I was talking on my hands free to Martha Kent because I was held up in Metropolis and was late to pick up Ryan from the Kent Farm. I wanted to check that it was ok for him to eat there." Josh started before filling in the answer to the question she was about to ask. "I took the weekend to visit an old friend in Metropolis, I used to live there before we moved here."

She nodded and motioned for him to continue. "The only thing I saw was the truck and a few people standing at the edge of the road but only figures, nothing definite. The next thing I knew the truck was flipping back over front and then nothing really. Just a lot of pain and then waking up here."

"You don't remember anything else?"

"Nothing, I'm sorry. Do you know what happened?" Josh asked, rightly curious.

"Something flipped the truck over and dropped it on the front left of your car. You leg was caught in the car and a part of your windscreen impaled your hand and scratched up your arm and head." She told him simply.

"Why did the truck do that?"

"We think somebody shot it with chains and then when the chain ran out it flipped the vehicle. The contents were stolen." She said, the way she said 'contents' meant she didn't know what was in it.

"Is that everything?" Josh asked. "I'd like to call Ryan and let him know I'm ok."

"They were all at the scene after we loaded you up on the ambulance. The Kent's have been looking after Ryan and we notified your Uncle. He said he'd drive back this afternoon." She told him.

"Thanks." Josh told her as she left. He fumbled to his side for a while until he found the bedside phone and then dialled the external line and then the Kent Farm knowing that it was too early for either Clark or Ryan to have gone to school since it was a Monday but he knew that since it was a farm at least Jonathan or Martha would be awake at this time.

The phone rang twice before Martha answered it. "Hello, Kent Farm."

"Mrs. Kent." Josh smiled despite the fact she couldn't see it. "Good Morning."

"Josh, you're awake already?" Martha asked astonished. "They told us not to expect you up until this evening at the earliest."

"Nah. A little thing like a truck falling on my car won't keep me down for that long." Josh laughed though it hurt his ribs. She heard the pain but didn't comment. "Doctor Bryce said that there isn't any point keeping me here."

"What are your injuries?" Martha asked sceptically.

"Oh, I've broken my left leg twice, probably damaged my left foot. But the rest is just scraps and bruises." Josh downplayed it. He had come very close to being outright killed and the Sheriff, Doctor Bryce, Anna and the rest of the staff he knew and himself all knew it.

"And they're letting you out already?" She still sounded suspicious.

"Yes, Mrs. Kent." Josh sighed. "There isn't really anything else to be done, I just need some time before the cast comes off my leg. I was just calling to check on Ryan and to let him know that I'm ok."

"He didn't sleep very well last night and I think he's still asleep. Do you want me to go wake him up?" She asked him.

"Nah, just tell him I said hi when he gets up and that I'll see him at school later on." Josh told her.

"You're going to school?" Martha was shocked.

"Yeah, why not? My Uncle cant get back before late afternoon so I'd just get lonely at home on my own." Josh told her.

"How are you going to get there?" Josh winced at the thought of his car in some junkyard somewhere, or perhaps it was on the side of the road still.

"I was going to give Lana a call and ask nicely." Josh told her.

"I'm sure Clark would be happy popping over to pick you up." Martha suggested.

"No it's ok. I'd rather he looked out for Ryan." In truth he just didn't want Ryan tagging along and seeing him in a hospital bed even though he knew that his little brother had seen him get driven away in the ambulance last night. "How have you been feeling?"

"Oh!" She seemed to have forgotten his promise to check on her when he returned. "I don't feel as sick anymore nor as light headed."

"That's good then." Josh told her. "Sounds like your immune system has accepted it but I'd still like to check it myself though I wont be able to for a few days. My healing abilities don't like me being this injured." Josh tried to laugh to ease the tension but his wince just served to worry her more.

He said his goodbyes before dialling first his Uncle to tell him how he was and arrange for himself and Ryan to be picked up by him after school let out and then he called Lana's mobile after struggling to remember her mobile number.

Just as he thought she would she offered to run around between her first and second period and pick him up. She said that even if she was late the Principle would forgive her since it was for another pupil even if Josh wasn't on his favourites list.

Josh spent the next two hours accepting examinations, instructions on medications that he knew perfectly well and stern instructions about what he could and couldn't do and what he had to look out for. He was changed into a fresh pair of clothes that Anna had brought for him rather graciously claiming that it was a get well present from all the nurses and was ready to leave on his pair of crutches when Anna gently slipped a new blood red headband around his head gently covering his burn scar and the large plaster that covered his left temple where there was a rather vicious glass cut that he hoped wouldn't scar.

"It goes very well with all those cuts and scraps." She joked referring to the ones of his left cheek and chin as well as the black eye he knew was starting to form. It was a shame she had refused to allow him to get a long sleeved t-shirt stating that his cuts and bruises needed air. When Lana arrived with a worried look on her face he was feeling more conscientious than he had in many years.

She dashed to hug him tightly and Josh found himself wondering why she cared so much, he'd hardly been in Smallville long and it's not like he made himself a likeable person. Then he realised how much she was hurting him.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch." He began to mutter continuously in her ear until she got the hunt. She yanked herself away with a red face and began apologising. He forestalled her. "I swear that there must be something in hospitals which make people over emotional and had the urge to hug injured people." He grinned impishly at her as she chuckled. "Thanks for picking me up."

"Oh, it's ok. I told the Principle where I was going and he grudgingly let me go with a slip to skip study period." Lana told him.

"We have study period next?" Josh frowned. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that one."

"Do you actually pay attention to classes?" Lana asked.

"Sometimes." He smirked. "I'm just glad the nurses picked me out something good to wear, I could just imagine them turning me into Farm boy for the day." He shuddered dramatically.

She glanced over his baggy jeans that the nurses had picked because they went over the cast and the purposely torn dark green t-shirt in mild distaste before grinning at him. "I don't know, you might look good in flannel shirts and tight jeans."

He shuddered again. "Oh dear god in heaven." Josh muttered. "I need to get out of this town!"

She laughed at him as he started moving through the corridors chatting with all of the nurses as he went, most were giving him sad looks or curious glances at his red headband. Lana moved closer as they left the building. "What was with the glances at your band?"

Josh gave her a cold look that almost had her flinching. He might have made a friend in the girl but he didn't want her thinking she could be that blunt about it. "They have never seen my scar before the Doctor cut off my sweatband yesterday."

"But we all saw it too and didn't get those looks." Lana countered remembering when Clark had bullied Josh with his books in the Talon. She flinched at the memory.

Josh knew they had been curious but Clark's behaviour had diverted their attention from him. "You four aren't experienced in certain things like they all are. They recognise it for what it is."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lana asked with a frown of concentration as she tried to decipher the clues.

Josh rolled his eyes slightly. "Forget it Lana, I don't want to discuss it." Josh told her coldly. "Can we get to school please before I get a detention for being AWOL?"

She shook herself and unlocked her car so that Josh could carefully manoeuvre himself inside the passenger seat. Josh spent the journey wondering whether perfect little Smallville even knew what child abuse was.

Ten minutes later they rolled to a stop in the car park at school. Lana helped Josh out of the car by holding the door open when Josh refused any physical help joking again that a car being dropped on him wasn't enough to keep him down which didn't amuse her at all. They split up in the first corridor. Josh planned to go sit in the Torch offices to wait for lunch knowing that Ryan would find him there whilst Lana wanted to go to her study period.

"You've just gotten the period off. A get out of jail free card and you still want to go?" Josh laughed with a slight wince. "Are you just that sad or do you just want to spend more time with farm boy." Josh's eyes flickered with inner maliciousness though of the kind hearted type.

She threw him a glare and wandered off with a stiff back. '_Got it in one.'_ Josh thought in victory before hobbling off on his crutches towards the Torch. It was empty when he got there so he helped himself to the table under the window and carefully propped his leg up on Chloe's swivel chair. He fished out a piece of paper and began to draw again in charcoal from the art supplies that Chloe kept at hand. He was just grateful that he had left all but a blank sketchbook at home and whilst he knew that his secret book would have been unharmed in all but a serious fire he was still grateful that his diary wasn't damaged.

He didn't have any memory of what had actually happened after the truck hit his car but he could well imagine the damage when he thought about his own injuries. The bell rung half an hour later and no sooner than five minutes into the lunch period the door slammed open and Chloe marched in with an imperious look on her face. "Uh oh." He sniped with amusement. "What happened this time?"

Chloe snapped to a halt and glared at him. "Why are you in here?" She asked.

Josh's eyebrows raised and he vaguely wondered when he was allowed to take more painkillers. "I thought the Torch was open territory and it's not like I can continuously walk around the school in my state." Josh watched as the irritation drained from her eyes to a look of concern as she realised his state and what had happened to him. Josh really wanted to know how many in the school knew what had happened already. "Besides I'm waiting for Ryan."

"Oh god, Josh." Chloe moved toward him with an apologetic look on her face. "I'm really sorry, I'm just having a rather crappy day."

"Oh sure, I can perfectly understand that one." He laughed as she went red realising that she wasn't the one sitting with a broken leg and half a mile of bandages around her chest and hand. She looked him over seeing the hidden cast around his leg, the bloody bandage on his right hand, the scratches and bruises on his left arm, the hints of a plaster on his left temple, the scratches along his left cheek and his chin and the black eye and then finally to the chest bandages visible through the faked tears in his t-shirt.

"How do you feel?"

Josh chuckled. "Like somebody dropped a truck on me."

"That's not funny!" A familiar voice shouted from the doorway and Josh visible winced as he recognised Ryan's voice from behind Chloe's form. Chloe dodged out of the way as Ryan ran across the room.

"Sorry, Ry." Josh smiled slightly. "It was just a joke."

"One that wasn't funny." Chloe put in less than helpfully. Josh messed up Ryan's hair with his good hand but didn't attempt to move to hug him knowing that he wouldn't get far. The boy solved the problem by launching himself at Josh and hugging him tightly.

"Ouch." Josh deadpanned but didn't let the boy release him until after he had returned the hug. He looked up and saw Lana in the room and Clark watching from the corridor, he frowned as Clark turned and wandered off down the hall with Pete behind him. Lana and Clark had obviously gone to find Ryan after classes had been dismissed. "What bit him in the arse?"

Chloe flinched and Lana frowned. "He resigned his position in the Torch." Chloe said rather harshly with a quick but rather unfriendly glance at Lana who left soon after it.

"Don't get me wrong, Chloe, but I wouldn't think he was the most useful person to have around anyway." Josh said before realising that her anger had nothing to do with his usefulness in the paper but her own personal feelings. She huffed at him before claiming the spare stool and turning on her computer to begin working.

Josh enlisted Ryan's help in standing up and claimed his clutches before starting towards the door with his little brother at him side. "I think there is some trouble with the trio."

"Clark spent a lot of the weekend with Lana and I think there is something up between them. Clark ditched Chloe yesterday and then resigned from the Torch after a big argument in the Talon." Ryan told them. "They've been driving me crazy all morning but I'm glad you woke up. I don't think I can stand another hour of feeling their tensions."

"You can feel their thoughts?" Josh glanced at him with concern.

"No words, just general feelings and only when things got bad yesterday. I was about to tell Mrs. Kent when we heard you crash." Ryan told him sadly obviously still rather shaken up by what he had heard.

"You heard it?" Josh went pale.

"Yeah, you cell phone didn't cut off when you crashed." Ryan was very pale by this point as well and Josh leaned sideways to nudge him with his elbow.

"I'm going to be fine. Uncle Kev's going to take the rest of the week off to look after us. I'll fix your head once I'm a bit better though if you want me too." Josh told him kindly.

Ryan shook his head. "I'm fine; I'm not the one that just got a truck dropped on him!"

Josh gave him a startled look but after seeing the cheeky look on Ryan's face he smacked him in the leg with his crutch. "Twerp! Just for that I'm not driving you anywhere anymore."

"Oh what a threat!" Ryan laughed knowing it was empty since Josh no longer had a working car. "I happen to make friends so I have plenty of people to drive me around."

"Oh and that's just why I want friends!" Josh gave Ryan a grin, ever since they'd met Ryan had tried to get Josh to be friendlier but it hadn't worked. "Do you wanna spend lunch with your friends in the cafeteria or get something and come eat with me on the bleachers?"

Under normal circumstances Ryan didn't spend any school breaks with Josh but preferred his own friends but it was clear to Josh that he had scared Ryan more than he thought when Ryan didn't even think before offering to join Josh for lunch. '_It's all because of that damned cell phone staying on.'_ Josh thought with a wince.

They stopped off briefly in the cafeteria to get Josh something from the school since he hadn't had Martha Kent to make him lunch. Ryan kindly carried the bag out with them ignoring the words from the cafeteria security about taking canteen food out of the school buildings. Josh just glared at the man and kept hobbling. Ryan was laughing amusedly at the brief exchange.

"You know you can get a detention for that?" Ryan asked with a smile as he pulled open his own lunch from his bag. He also pulled open Josh's two sketch books.

Josh smiled at him but motioned for him to keep them since he didn't have a bag that day. "I don't care."

"No you don't do you?" Ryan laughed. "How did your weekend go? Before the crash that is?"

"It was fun." Josh told him sincerely. "I was good to get away for a while."

"Have fun with Bart then?" Ryan asked with a smirk as Josh spat out his freshly drunk juice before grabbing lamely at his chest to stifle the pain there from his sudden move.

"How do you know about him?"

"Saw it in your mind when you healed me." Ryan shrugged. "It's taken some time for most of it to come clear though, like the Wizard bits, but when you went off to Metropolis that bit straightened itself out."

"So you don't mind?"

"Mind what?" Ryan asked with raised eyebrows. "That you're gay or that you went to the city to see him?"

"Well both really but the first one mainly." Josh looked worried knowing that small towns tended to have a bigger problem with homosexuals.

Ryan just leaned over to hug him. "I don't have a problem with it, Josh." Josh smiled down at him with a relieved smile. "And I won't tell anybody his secret either though it's really cool."

Josh groaned imagining Bart's reaction to this. "Oh, he'll love knowing the 'dweeb' found out."

"Dweeb?" Ryan asked with a snort.

"That's what he started calling you after I told him about you. Umm…Ryan?" Josh got really quiet. "I've always told Bart everything, which includes about you."

Ryan gave him a long look before shrugging. "As long as you trust him I don't mind."

Josh breathed out in relief. "I promise I'll try and get him to visit so you can meet him."

"You're serious about him?" Ryan asked acting far beyond his fourteen years.

Josh nodded. "I love him. He's just kinda hard to pin down in one place. He likes to travel around a lot."

Ryan laughed before helping Josh peel open a chocolate bar since his right hand was still out of commission. Thinking of his hand made him realise something. "Oh god, I left my drawing in the Torch!"

"What drawing?" Ryan frowned.

"A charcoal one of the crash I was drawing with my left hand to amuse myself." Josh winced. "She's probably found it by now. Damn."

"Don't worry about it; I'm sure she won't publish it or anything." Ryan soothed him. "Do you want to go get it back?"

Josh was tempted by the idea but shook his head. "Let her keep it. She's always wanted one of them to stare at."

The rest of the day went smoothly except for a run in with a few jocks who decided to have revenge for Josh's so far less than pliable attitude to their dominance. He'd given the two jocks serious headaches after smacking them in the head with one of his crutches before they could do anything to him. Unfortunately it had earned him a detention from the Principle himself so his Uncle and Ryan had to come back for him after school.

They spent an easy night watching DVDs and chatting together but by the time the sun set Josh was so tired he even let Ryan get him into bed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Josh was at school rather early the next morning since his Uncle had taken the opportunity to do a few things at Smallville Medical Centre for his own hospital, the only way he had gotten the whole week off of work. He and Ryan had spent the half an hour before people arrived studying for their finals, though Josh just spent his time helping out with Ryan's revision since Ryan was still slightly behind. Being stuck in a research centre made him miss half a year of work.

They were broken up from their position on the front steps by Chloe as she arrived earlier than most as well. "Hey, Josh, Ryan." Ryan got up with a grin on his face. "Um…Josh, you left this in the Torch yesterday, I know how protective you are of your drawings so I kept a hold of it."

"Um…thanks Chloe." Josh smiled slightly as he struggled to get up with the help of Ryan and accepted the folded paper. Ryan glanced at the drawing and flinched as he went pale.

"Was it really like that?" Chloe asked.

"No idea, I don't remember exactly." Josh told her honestly as they made their way towards the Torch. "That's just what I imagined from what the Sheriff told me."

"It sounded like that but they already had the truck moved by the time we got there." Ryan told her getting a strange look from the reporter.

Josh took pity on her confusion. "I was on my cell phone to Mrs. Kent and when it happened my phone wasn't damaged. Mrs. Kent and Ryan heard every moment of it."

Chloe looked at the pale Ryan in horror. "I can probably get a picture from the Sheriff's office if you want me to. I can understand if you don't though, I'm just offering." Chloe added quickly.

"Actually, I'd like that. Thanks Chloe." Josh gave her a grateful smile which faded instantly as he walked into the Torch with Chloe and Ryan behind him. Ryan walked straight into him nearly making him topple over and he heard a small gasp from Chloe. "What the hell?"

"Oh my God." Chloe seemed close to sobbing.

"Ryan, please go and find the Principle or a security guard." Josh spoke quickly but the boy nodded none the less and dashed out of the room. The room was completely devastated. The lights were flickering from where they hung casting an off light over the broken computers and furniture. The whole place had been ransacked. "Have you done anything to piss anybody off lately?"

She shook her head mutely as she picked her way across the room to follow him. Josh used his crutches to move objects laying in his way as he searched for clues but the room was simply torn apart. "I'm so sorry, Chloe." Josh whispered as he moved closer to her just as the Principle appeared in the doorway with Ryan and a security guard.

"Mr. Ackervey, what happened here?" Josh walked away from the door before starting to speak to give Chloe some alone time with her beloved office. How somebody could get that attached to something was beyond Josh. Even his secret diary wasn't that important to him.

"We don't know, it looks like somebody just tore the place apart. I didn't notice anything major missing though." Josh noticed Clark appear and enter the Torch but ignored it in favour of talking to the Principle.

Just as they finished Chloe ran out and down the hall passed them. "Ry? Go after her?" Josh suggested. Ryan didn't even need to listen to the whole question and pelted down the corridor after them. Clark went off after her as Josh finished off with the Principle and he and the security guard walked into the Torch to have a look. Josh slowly made his way after Clark wanting to know exactly what the idiot had done this time.

He rounded the corner in time to see Eric Marsh talking heatedly with Clark. "I'd sure hate to think something happened to those wholesome parents of yours." Eric was saying. Josh's eyes narrowed and he announced his presence by smacking his crutch into the ground. Eric ran off towards his first classroom presumably and Clark went to leave.

"Kent!" Josh stopped him.

"You heard him, Josh. I need to go check on my parents!" Clark countered anxiously. "I can't wait and chat to you."

"I never said anything about chatting but what do you plan to do if they're hurt?" Josh asked him. "You planned to drive I assume?"

A strange look cross Clarks face which Josh put down to the strange question but he nodded hurriedly. "It won't waste too much time to take me along. I can call ahead."

Clark watched him as he started to hobble towards the main doors but nodded to himself and caught up.

Josh called the Kent Farm as they drove through town but got nothing but their answering machine. He called Ryan so that he didn't think he'd just disappeared and then on a whim he called his Uncle who offered to drive around there as well.

They arrived ten minutes later and Clark got out and started calling for his parents as Josh tried to get his crutches out of the back without Clarks help. They both heard Jonathan call out from the barn and Clark ran in without waiting for Josh who was forced to follow a minute later and at a much slower pace. By the time he got in there it was to see Clark crouched over his mother who was clearing unconscious and screaming out to Josh's senses whilst her husband watched the situation from his place propped up against the wall.

"Clark!" Josh snapped as he got closer. "Get out of the way and help me!"

Clark seemed shocked that he was still there but moved to help him sit awkwardly beside the unconscious Martha Kent. Josh laid his hands on her head and neck and closed his eyes letting his power flow forwards. He suppressed a wince when he felt his right hand begin to bleed again. He felt blood running down his left arm and knew he had to be quick. He healed the internal bleeding and the concussion but had to spend longer healing the damage that should have made her miscarriage. He was pleased to see that her immune system was no longer attempting to kill the baby.

He collapsed backwards and clasped his bleeding hand to his chest just as Martha woke with a cry and sat up. Clark was at her side in an instant and Josh looked around to see his Uncle checking on a rather large bruise on Mr. Kent's arm. He rolled to his side and began coughing. He felt somebody gently patting his back and knew that it was probably Clark since his Uncle would have been a tad more useful.

"He's coughing up blood!" Clark gasped looking for Josh's Uncle.

A shadow loomed over him. "Josh, are you alright?"

"It's just the side effects. She had a lot of internal bleeding." Josh told them as his cough subsided. "A concussion and…" He stopped himself with a glance at Mrs. Kent who went extremely pale.

"He knows." She whispered looking at Clark who looked at Josh in shock.

"You nearly lost the baby." Josh sighed. "Good news is that your immune system is accepting it and its back to full health."

"How long have you known?" Clark asked him with narrowed eyes.

"Not important, Clark." Clark's father told him sternly before turning to Josh. "Your hand is bleeding rather badly."

"I know. Do you have bandage?" He asked looking at his Uncle who instantly started unravelling Josh's hand and was soon cleaning and bandaging it again.

"It's not safe for you here." Clark told his parents after a while.

"Uncle?" Josh asked and he nodded.

"I have an apartment in Metropolis that the two of you can stay in for a while if you want. Make it a holiday." Kev offered.

"We can't just leave now, we won't run away." Martha argued.

"Not a choice, Mrs. Kent." Josh insisted calmly. "As your advisor in this instance. I'm ordering you to lay low and relax." He made the point of looking at the very slight bulge in her abdomen.

She sighed and looked at her son with a pained look. "I don't really want to leave though."

"Josh is right, we can't take the risk."

They milled around for a while to make sure that Josh and Martha were both ok and to let Kevin explain where the apartment was and how to get there before Josh got a lift back to school with his Uncle.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Josh walked down the hall. His head was pounding, a side affect of having his own concussion and then absorbing part of Mrs. Kent's as well. He was glad for her that Eric and his gang had been caught and had confessed to the crime but was annoyed that he hadn't owned up to destroying the Torch.

He was about to walk into said office from the side, and less used, door when he heard an older male's voice from within, he lingered by the door not bothering to look in.

"I'd like to help you rebuild." Josh flinched, he recognised the voice as Lionel Luthor, the Billionaire who had called his Uncle's right to look after him up before a court almost four years ago. It had almost caused Uncle Kev to be locked up. After that they had filed for his emancipation in case something of the like ever happened again. And it was all over him saving Lex Luthor's life. "I've instructed the Luthorcorp Foundation to make a donation to your school. The funds are specifically earmarked toward rebuilding and updating the journalism department."

Josh felt his eyes narrow in suspicion, he felt tempted to go in there and kick the man out but he was curious as to what was behind the man's offer. "Mr. Luthor, I'm confused." Chloe admitted. "I mean the struggling editor in me wants to just leave it at 'thank you', but the Journalist in me wants to ask 'Why?'"

"I'm impressed with your…um…willingness to explore alternative ideas, options." Lionel told her. "You interned at the Daily Planet this summer right?"

"Yeah." Chloe told him.

"Hmm…well I have a little influence there." Lionel feigned thought, it was obvious to Josh. "They certainly could use some new blood. Maybe…a column. To introduce your unique point of view."

Josh very almost dashed in to shut him up, he was planning something and it wouldn't be good. "I…I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but…I don't understand why the most powerful man in the city is interested in helping _me_!" Chloe asked with a quaver of curiosity in her voice.

"We're after the same thing, Miss Sullivan…the truth." Lionel told her. "You know, journalists are the midwives of history. Perhaps, with my help, we could make history together."

After a few moments Josh heard the click of the main door and Josh hobbled in noisily making Chloe jumped around to face him. A business card was quickly slipped into her pocket. Josh shook his head slightly as he eased his way passed Chloe's carefully pilled papers. "I can tell you one thing about the Luthor's, Chloe. No matter how nice they are you can never trust them. Even if _they_ are the ones that save you from being shot by risking their own lives they are only doing it to get something from you."

"How do you know that?" Chloe asked him venomously.

Josh snapped. "If you can't tell that for yourself then you're not much of a reporter!" Josh turned to leave feeling rather disappointed in the girl. "How much will it take before you sell out friends?"

He didn't wait for an answer before leaving her standing in the middle of her office to think by herself. He had begun to think highly of the girl, especially after finding out about Clark's new thing with Lana that had left her on the sidelines. He had thought that he might be able to put up with having her as a friend. But time would tell, it all depended on what she took from the Luthors.

'_Either way,'_ Josh thought, '_I'm not letting Ryan near her until I'm sure she isn't going to sell him out to the Luthors.'_

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	8. Inner Demons

Outsiders

Chapter 8; Inner Demons

****

Talon

Josh could feel the stress in his fellow students as the last two weeks of school approached. The eagerness to enter the summer holidays took the edge off of the stress that they all felt with the approaching exams. Ryan was also feeling the stress and was furious with Josh for not feeling it as well. Really, Josh was so far above his classmates in his courses that he didn't have to worry about his final exams.

Josh had decided to take Ryan out for the evening to the Fright Night that Lana was holding in the Talon's cinema complex. Black and White horror films had never been one of Josh's vices but Josh knew that he evening out would be welcomed by his little brother and since Lana had managed to convince Clark, Chloe and Pete to attend as well it meant that Ryan could spend the time with them.

The movie was boring for Josh so he spent the whole film with his head on the back of his chair with his eyes half closed. "Not _that _scared are you, Josh?"

Josh tipped his head to the right to look at Chloe who was sitting between himself and Ryan. Lana was on Ryan's other side with Clark and Pete beyond her. Josh raised his eyebrows as he forced his eyelids to open properly, he gave her a lazy smirk. "No, just bored." Josh was highly tempted to take his cane that he was still using to balance himself from his accident six weeks ago and go out and help himself to a hot chocolate until the movie was over. He doubted Lana would mind, or even notice.

"Yeah, yeah." Chloe teased obviously not believing him.

Josh made a dismissive snort before returning to watch the film half-heartedly to prove his point to the news-obsessed girl. A madman appearing behind the innocent woman made the entire room jump but Josh only smirked at Chloe who had almost screamed but then he noticed Lana's hand had slid onto Clarks. He covered his mouth with his hand to trap in the laugh but Chloe noticed it and couldn't help but stare at the joined hands until Lana casually let her hand drop back onto her lap.

Josh sent a small wink at Ryan who had witnessed the whole event with an amused look and both had returned their attention to the screen in time to see the madman slice a blade across a man's throat. Josh went rigid though he barely noticed through the haze his mind slipped into and it wasn't until Ryan threw a piece of popcorn at him that he came back to reality to see that everyone in their group were staring at him.

"Excuse me, I'm a tad bored." Josh muttered as he stood. "I'll meet up with you after the film Ryan." He turned up the slope and ignoring the fifty strong audience staring at him he limped heavily up to the double doors and pushed them open. He closed them quietly behind him before rushing to the back kitchen of the Talon and to the sink there to throw up the lasagne he had eaten that evening before coming.

He ran the cold tap for a while to wash it away before collecting some in his hands. He rinsed his face off with the water and grabbed at a towel folded neatly next to the sink. He leant forwards with his weight on his elbows but jumped violently as somebody scuffed a foot behind him. "I thought you said you didn't have a problem with horror films?" Chloe asked him.

Josh spun with a glare on his face but could feel that his features were rather pale. "I don't." He glanced at Ryan as he slipped into the room.

"You ok?" Ryan asked. "Sorry if I didn't cook dinner properly."

Josh took the opportunity and noticed that he now owed the little twerp something. "It's ok, Ryan. It's my fault for making you cook."

Ryan winked at him childishly as Chloe stared at Josh contemplatively. He didn't miss the fact that her eyes lingered on the scar on his throat for an instant too long. "You wanna go home?" Ryan asked him seriously.

"I don't mind, I'm happy to wait if you want to go finish watching the movie." Josh answered truthfully.

"Nah it's ok. Let me just go say bye to the others and get your cane." Ryan darted from the room and Josh turned to look at Chloe who was obviously seeing through Ryan's lie. He shrugged it off and tilted his head towards the door.

"Thanks for your concern but you'd better get back in there or you'll miss the ending." Josh prompted her and she smiled at him before walking out ahead of him. Josh followed at a more sedate pace all the while promising himself to keep a close watch on her for the time being.

Ryan met him quickly with a reassuring look on his face and Josh forwent the use of his cane in favour of leaning and arm around Ryan's shoulders. "Thanks." He muttered.

"You ok?" Ryan asked but only got a shrug in response. They sat in silence as Josh drove them both home in his new black Jeep half paid for by his insurance and half from his own pocket to get a newer version of his old convertible one. They split up at the top of the stairs and Josh walked into his room and immediately kicked off his shoes and tore of his sweat band before throwing it onto the window seat. He pulled off his mesh shirt and slung in onto the back of a chair before pulling off his red t-shirt.

He threw it into the wall furiously before sagging down onto his bed and started to rub the back of his neck angrily though the motion didn't do anything to sooth his nerves. "I'm sorry I made you go see that film. I should have known it would remind you of everything."

Josh jerked his head up to see Ryan standing in the darkened doorway with tears in his eyes. Josh's hand fell from his neck and he leant on his elbows as he took in Ryan's appearance. "You didn't make me go see it, Ry, I wanted you to get out for the evening and I knew you wouldn't go see Clark on your own without me to keep you there."

Ryan's mouth worked in silence for a few moments before he changed the subject. "Did that have something to do with your scar?" Ryan asked him as he took a tentative step forwards as if expecting Josh to kick him out of his room.

Josh half frowned at him before nodding slowly. "I having seen something like that in a long time and it's always made me throw up when I saw it before."

"Too many memories?" Ryan asked with another hesitant step.

"More like it breaks the flood gate on all of them." Josh frowned openly at Ryan's hesitant manner. "What the hell are you doing, Ry? Get in here or get out."

"Sorry." Josh half turned away as if he was about to leave.

"Ry. Don't make me come over there and drag you onto this bed." Josh told him sternly.

"But…" Ryan looked extremely nervous. Josh just scooted to the side and gestured for Ryan to cross the room.

"I'm not kidding, either you come here and talk to me or I'll just hobble over to your room and keep you up until you come clean." Josh threatened. Ryan let out an explosive sigh before slowly making his way across the room. Josh lost patience as soon as he was within arms reach and pulled him forwards and down onto the bed beside him. "What's got you so nervous?"

"I…" Ryan stumbled. "I'm not nervous."

"Don't kid me, Ry." Josh admonished kindly. "You've been treading careful with me for two days now and now you're even worse. Did I do something to hurt you?"

"No!" Ryan snapped his head to look at Josh in horror. "You didn't."

"So why are you acting like I'm suddenly going to kick you out and for that matter why are you avoiding Clark?" Josh asked seriously and knew he'd hit the mark when more tears began to creep down Ryan's face. Ryan began shaking ever so slightly.

"You'll just hate me." Ryan looked down at his knees and started playing with the bed cover. "You'll just find a replacement too." The last words were spoken so quietly that Josh nearly had to ask Ryan to repeat them but everything clicked in an instant.

"Did Clark tell you about the baby?" Josh asked carefully and Ryan just nodded before swiping at his eyes. "Oh, Ry!" Josh leaned forwards and pulled the fourteen year old against him as he hugged him. Ryan rested his head and Josh's shoulder and Josh could feel his tears on his skin. "Nobody's going to try to replace you. Especially not Clark or the Kents. And never me. You're my little brother and you'll always be my little brother twerp."

Ryan looked up at him and Josh smiled down at him before placing a light kiss on his forehead. "I'm sorry." Ryan whispered before trying to pull back though reluctantly.

Josh held firm and squeezed Ryan until the boy's arms came back around him again. "You don't have to be sorry for being insecure. Anybody in your situation would be, I always worried about Uncle Kev abandoning me because life would be easier without me but then I realised that he loved me and nothing could ever make him want to replace me or be rid of me." Josh pulled back slightly and waited until he could look Ryan directly in the eyes. "Do you know how much we all love you? Me, Uncle Kev, Clark, Mr and Mrs. Kent?"

Ryan nodded with a shaky smile. "Can I stay here tonight?" Ryan asked. Josh was surprised for an instant, Ryan only asked that after several nights of nightmares which he hadn't had in at least a month. He was obviously feeling very insecure.

"Of course, is your light off?" Ryan nodded. "Come on then, get undressed and get under the covers. I'm getting cold sitting like this." Josh laughed to try to cheer Josh up a bit. Once they were both in the bed with Ryan lying with his head on Josh's chest he ruffed Ryan's hair. "Tomorrow we'll try to get over to the Kent Farm and you can talk to Mrs. Kent about it, ok?"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

The next day

The next day was a Saturday and Josh was glad for that since he didn't want Ryan to stew for yet another day about his being replaced by the new baby. As soon as he heard the water running upstairs for Ryan's shower he picked up his cell and selected the Kent Farm from the phone book. It was answered after a few rings.

__

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mrs. Kent." Josh greeted. "Good morning."

__

"Oh hi, Josh. Is something wrong?" Martha asked.

"Um…actually, I was hoping you could look after Ryan this afternoon while I'm at work?" Josh asked.

__

"That's fine, Josh." Martha told him and Josh could hear her smile. _"Is your Uncle away?"_

"Uh…yeah." Josh winced. "Actually he was going to stay home on his own to do revision but I don't want him to be alone today. Could we come over after breakfast?"

__

"You can come now if you want." Martha asked picking up on his words and becoming concerned. _"You can both eat breakfast here. I know Clark's been missing Ryan for the last few days."_

"Sure, we'll see you soon." Josh hung up just as a rather soggy Ryan came down the stairs. "You look like a drowned rat." Josh teased.

"Better than looking like something out of a rebel teenager music video." Ryan retorted and Josh winked at him before grabbing his keys. "We going now?"

"Yup!" Josh grinned at him. "I think word of what your cooking did to me last night has reached her ears, she offered us breakfast."

"You still owe me you know?" Ryan teased as they left the house.

"And there was me thinking you did it because you loved me!" Josh cried in mock pain as he slid into the drivers seat of his car. Ryan hopped over the side next to him.

"Well yeah, I did, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't get something out of it." Ryan smirked.

"Twerp!" Josh laughed before leaning over and tugging on Ryan's hair getting an annoyed glare in response which lightened as Josh started the engine.

"Thanks." Josh looked at him strangely. "For last night."

"Don't worry about it Ry, you protected me from Chloe's nosiness because you love me and I comforted you because I love you." Josh told him seriously. "That won't ever change."

They drove in silence on the way to the Kent Farm more because Ryan turned up the music to blaring levels than because they didn't want to talk and Josh pulled into the Kent Farm in time to see Clark enter the barn and Jonathan enter the house, obviously having just finished the morning chores that Ryan moaned about doing when he stayed there over night though Josh knew that his little brother didn't really mind.

Josh grabbed his cane from the back seat and walked to the back door before knocking on the screen door with Ryan at his side. "Josh! Ryan! Come in, breakfast will be ready in five minutes."

Josh let Ryan hug both Kent's happily before he leaned himself against the counter with an apologetic look at Martha to beg forgiveness for lounging in her kitchen. "How is your leg?"

"Oh, it's better. Thanks Mrs. Kent."

"Liar." Ryan smirked playfully. "It's still black and blue and it hurts him sometimes."

"Thank you for that Ryan. Go and help Mr. Kent with the table." Josh smirked back before gesturing to Mr. Kent who had just walked out to the dining table with cutlery in his hands.

"You'll make a good parent some day, Josh." Martha told him with a smile.

"Ah, I don't know about that." Josh told her seriously before changing the subject. Small town folk and all that. "Thanks for having us over on such short notice."

"It's no problem. It'll do Jonathan and Clark some good to share their food now and again." Martha told him. "You sounded rather worried about Ryan on the phone. Is there something wrong?"

"Actually, yeah." Josh spoke quietly. "He's been acting strange for the last few days and last night I think he broke down."

"The last few days?" Martha frowned, "What was wrong?"

"What _is _wrong." Josh corrected sincerely making her eyes widen as he glanced out of the kitchen at Ryan's back. "I understand you told him about the baby."

"Oh god." She gasped. "He can't be mad at me?"

Josh shook his head roughly to dispel her of that thought. "He's worried that you are replacing him with the baby because you don't want him around anymore. That Clark won't want to hang around with him anymore because he'll have another younger sibling to play with and that you and Mr. Kent won't have the time or the space for him in your lives any longer." Josh sighed with a sad look at Ryan before turning back to Martha. "Naturally he then worked himself up into such a state that he thought me and Uncle Kev were only waiting to replace him too and so he started avoiding Clark and yourselves as much as possible."

"How could he think that?" She gasped.

"I'm sure he's just being daft and I think I reassured him last night but I'm not a parent and I wanted to get him over here so that he could see it for himself that he wasn't being forgotten." Josh told her before glancing down at the cooker. "I think you're burning the food."

"Oh my…" She trailed off as she began bustling around the kitchen again. "I can't believe he thought that."

"It's only natural but I thought that I should give you a heads up." Josh told her. "I'll go find Clark for you."

"Thank you, Josh." She smiled at him and he knew that she wasn't just talking about him going to find Clark. He limped out of the house before sighing as he started across, what seemed to be, the huge distance between the house and the barn. The inside was dark with the sun on the wrong side of the building but Josh could hear Clark above him. He started on his way up rather noisily and wasn't surprised that Clark was ready for him at the top.

"Josh!" Clark frowned. "I didn't know you were here."

"No I suppose not." Josh replied as he leaned his weight against the banister eyeing it for stability all the while. "Your mother invited Ryan and me over for breakfast and agreed to look after Ryan for the day."

"I thought he wanted to stay home and study today?" Clark asked.

"Since when has Ryan ever _wanted_ to stay at home on his own all day reading books?" Josh raised a sarcastic eyebrow at Clark. "He's been avoiding you, Clark, or didn't you notice."

"What are you talking about?" Clark frowned.

"I realise that things in 'Lana Land' are advancing and you are happy about it but if you look elsewhere you'll realise that you mother told Ryan about the baby on Wednesday and Ryan thinks that you are trying to replace him because you don't need two younger siblings." Josh told him without his normal bite to his tone. "You're not the only one worrying him, he's worry about your parents not having time for him and that me and my Uncle are going to abandon him but you are the only one currently actually giving him legitimate reason to think that."

"What do you mean?" Clark almost growled, "I'd never do that to him!"

"I don't think you realised but you moved away from Ryan last night so that Lana could sit between you and him in the cinema." Josh pointed out, he hadn't realised that the action had hurt Ryan until Ryan had spilled his guts last night and he admitted that he had been rather oblivious to it himself. "I'm not telling you off and Ryan knows you love him but please don't leave him out at the moment. He needs to know you want him around."

"Of course I do!" Clark looked like he was about to run out of the barn to see Ryan but Josh kept him back.

"I know you do, and I know that Ryan does to, but he's had a tough childhood. People used him and then discarded him, abandoned him when he needed them and now he has people that love him and he is worried that the same thing is going to happen." Josh sighed. "Just make sure he isn't given the chance to forget it."

"You sound really worried about this." Clark suddenly looked at him.

"My Uncle and I were only planning on staying here for a year before we move to somewhere new and I don't know whether Ryan will be coming with us or not." Josh told him. "We both want him to but he won't want to leave you behind. I just don't know what will happen and I want to make sure that Ryan will always have someone he loves around him."

Clark didn't say anything for a while before nodding. "I promise, I'll make sure he doesn't forget it. Even when the baby gets here."

"Your mum sent me to get you for breakfast." Josh said suddenly realising his actually reason for being out here.

"Actually I was going to go meet up with Lana for breakfast." Clark muttered. Josh watched him as he thought for a moment. "But I can meet her after breakfast."

"Good boy, Clark." Josh laughed as he turned to start down the steps.

"Did you just manipulate me?" Clark asked from the top of the stairs.

"Of course I did, but only for Ryan's sake." Josh chuckled again.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Smallville Medical Centre

The morning with the Kent's had been a relief for Josh. They hadn't overwhelmed Ryan with their affection but they had made it clear in a subtle way that Ryan wasn't going anywhere and that he'd always have a place there. It made Josh think about what he had talked to Clark about, he hadn't wanted to give it much thought before and he didn't know whether his Uncle had. They'd have to move on eventually but Ryan might not want to leave Clark and the Kent's behind and in that case they'd lose contact.

"What is up with you today, Josh?" Anne asked him suddenly making him jerk and knock his cane over from its place propped up against the Nurses Station desk while he was looking through some case files.

"Damnit!" He swore uncharacteristically as he tried to pick it up rather unsuccessfully. He was just about to lose control of his patience when a hand snaked around his own and lifted the cane. He straightened up with a frown and found Anne had the cane securely in her own grip with a raised eyebrow on her face. "What?" Josh sighed.

"I asked, what was up with you today?" She reiterated carefully. "You've snapped at three of us already and the only reason we haven't smacked you round the head is because it's unlike you to be so rude."

"Huh?" He frowned as he glanced around at the six watching faces. He gulped before grabbing his cane from her hand. "Sorry."

"You still haven't answered my question." Anne pointed out logically.

"I don't know, maybe it's just finals?" Josh suggested hopefully.

"Nice try but we all know you're not the type to get stressed over exams." Cassandra pointed out with a snort of amusement.

"It's just everything I suppose." Josh sighed deciding to almost come clean with these nurses, five of which were female and the last a male nurse only ten years older than Josh. "We're supposed to be moving again in October and I don't know what's going to happen to Ryan when we do."

They lost any amused looks on their faces, they all knew Ryan well from his time in the hospital and his visits while Josh was working. "Can't he go with you?" Michael asked him.

Josh shrugged, "That's part of the problem, he won't want to leave the Kent's behind, especially now." Josh shook his head to show that that particular problem was closed.

"Why not just stay here?" Anne asked.

"We can't." Josh sagged. It was selfish of him to leave Ryan behind to save himself but the longer they stayed here the more risky it got.

"What are you running from?" Cassandra asked.

Josh just gave them a sad smile as the loudspeaker on the phone came to life. _"We've got a kid running around the third floor on her own, can someone try and find her please?"_

Josh pressed the button. "I'll have a look." He smiled at the six again but it was a grateful smile this time and he got smiles in return. He turned and limped his way out and down the corridor to the elevator and to the third floor.

He was walking down the third corridor when a small girl spoke up behind him making him jump. "You were with Lana last night."

Josh spun to face her and noted the pale blue dress and the teddy bear in her hand. She was roughly about ten years old. "Hello there, what's your name?"

"You didn't answer my question." She told him sternly.

"That's because you didn't ask one, but I did." Josh told her. "How about we both answer then we're even?" She nodded briskly and Josh smile widened. "I was at the Talon with Lana last night."

"My name's Emily."

"That's a pretty name, mines Joshua but you can call me Josh if you want." Josh told her. "How do you know Lana?"

"She my best friend!" Emily told him rather loudly.

"Oh really, she's my friend too you now, perhaps we should be friends too?" Josh suggested.

She gave him a calculating look before nodding. Josh held out his hand and she took it. "How about we go downstairs and I get you something to drink?" She nodded again so Josh kept going. "Are you here visiting someone?"

"My father's ill. He's back there." She pointed vaguely in the direction of the closest room.

"Oh, I hope he gets better soon." Josh told her sincerely.

"He will." She told him.

"So, have you got someone looking after you while he's in here?" Josh asked and she shook her head.

"I don't need to be looked after." She told him.

"I'm sure you don't but we need to get somebody to keep an eye on you." Josh told her as she stopped abruptly. Josh frowned as she tugged her hand out of his rather strongly. He was about to ask her what was wrong when she vanished. He jumped slightly before looking down at his hand in surprise.

He span on his heel and headed for the room where her father supposedly lay. He opened the door without ceremony and took in the man standing in the room on his own over the unconscious form.

He almost growled at him but chose to ignore him as he picked up the chart and began reading it through. The chances of him recognising him after three years was slim anyway especially for men like the Luthors.

Mr. Dinsmoore had been impaled on a garden ornament and been found bleeding to death. He'd survive since he had managed to call an ambulance before he fell unconscious but no girl was listed on his chart. Normally family was listed so that they could be easily found by the nurses and doctors if something happened.

"You don't look like a Doctor." Lex spoke up.

"Was that a question, Mr. Luthor?" Josh asked before looking up at him. "I'm a volunteer here, his daughter is running around on her own and she keeps giving us the slip so I am trying to find out about her father so I can try and get her to talk to me."

"She was just in here but she…" Lex trailed off uncertainly.

"Vanished?" Josh chuckled. "She just did that to me. Makes you wonder."

"Have we met before? You seem familiar." Lex asked with a frown.

"I'd hope so, Mr. Luthor." Josh told him. "After what you father put me and my Uncle through because I saved your life three years ago."

Lex frowned before looking rather pale. "You're Joshua Ackervey, the boy that took in Ryan after his recovery?"

"Indeed." Josh told him. "Let me make something clear to you, Luthor, I don't want the Luthor family anywhere near myself, my Uncle or Ryan. And for that matter the Kent's either."

"The Kent's are my friends." Lex told him.

"Oh yes, I'd heard that you named Clark your best man but you and your father don't fool me." Josh told him seriously. "You tried to seize custody of me and lock away my Uncle because I refused to be bribed when I stopped you from slitting your wrists, I'd hate to think what you'd do to Ryan or the Kents."

Lex flinched at Josh's words. He'd been drunk at the time and Josh had been assigned to sober him up but when he'd arrived Lex had just sliced one wrist and was moving onto the other. Josh had stopped him and saved his life but his father had tried to buy the doctors off to prevent it from getting to the papers. Josh had refused stating that he wouldn't breach his confidentiality clause anyway but Lionel Luthor had taken his Uncle to court to try to seize control of Josh to stop him that way.

"You've found out that I don't fear your money before, Mr. Luthor." Josh sighed. "I don't trust you after what you tried to do to retain your pride and if you make even one move against the Kents, myself or anyone in this town that I like and you'll have to spend every dime you have to keep yourself out of court."

"I never wanted things to go as far as they did. I don't even know how my father found out about you and what happened." Lex told him.

"Obviously through bribes and threats." Josh told him ignoring Lex's claim. He turned to leave. "I don't trust you, Mr. Luthor, because of who your father is and I'll protect my friends and family from you and your father, you'll have to prove me wrong. Oh, by the way. Have a good wedding."

Josh closed the door on the confused Luthor and made his way back down to the Nurses Station. "Anne, have you ever heard of a girl called Emily Dinsmoore?"

"Dinsmoore?" Anne frowned. "That rings a bell."

"Her father is on the third floor after being impaled by a garden spike." Josh put in helpfully.

"I remember!" Anne brightened up but then it faded just as quickly. "She drowned about six years ago now."

"Well I just met a little girl on the third floor that told me that her name was Emily and that her father was in a room occupied by Mr. Dinsmoor." Josh told her.

"Maybe she lied, or was confused." Cassandra pointed out logically. Children got lost in the hospital all the time.

"Do we have a picture of the girl that drowned?" Josh asked.

Michael perked up. "I think it was in the Smallville Ledger, let me see if I can find it on the internet archives." Josh leaned against the counter tiredly as he searched. "Here we are."

Josh leaned forwards as he spun the screen to face him and he frowned. "That's her, down to her clothes and that teddy." Josh frowned. "But she hasn't aged."

"Are you sure that's who you saw?" Cassandra asked.

"I might be stressed, Cassy, but I'm not insane." Josh told her. "Or hallucinating!" He added to Michael who had been about to open her mouth. "The girl was visiting Mr. Dinsmoore. Lex Luthor saw her in there." He told them about the entire meeting with the girl even going so far as to tell them about her vanishing on her."

"Maybe you saw a ghost?" Michael asked him with a smirk.

"Screw you, Michael." Josh told him light-heartedly before grabbing the phone from the desk.

"Who are you calling?" Anne asked though she wasn't worried about his use of the phone.

"Lana. The girl said that they were best friends and I'm worried about her." Josh frowned as he dialled the number.

"Scared of zombies back from the dead are you, Josh?" Michael teased again.

"I'm only going to say this once more, Michael. Screw you." Josh turned his back on the counter and leaned against it as the cell was answered.

"Lana?" Josh asked.

__

"No, it's Clark." Clark told him.

"Where's Lana?"

__

"She's here." Clark told him.

"Well put her on then, Clark. I don't have time for this." Josh snapped. There was a brief scuffle on the other end of the phone before Lana greeted him. "Lana, have you seen Emily yet?"

__

"Emily?" Lana sounded surprised. _"How do you know about that?"_

"You mean the little ten year old that I just had a conversation with outside her father's hospital room?" Josh asked her. "She said she was your best friend."

__

"We used to be before she drowned. Clark and I are trying to work this out." Lana told him. _"When did you see her?"_

Josh checked his watch. "About twenty minutes ago but she vanished into thin air and the gits that work here don't believe me." He glared at the trio staring at him. "Look, Lana, whatever you're doing be careful. I think she was the one that impaled her father and he nearly died."

__

"What?" Lana gasped.

"I'm serious, Lana. Keep your eyes open." Josh told her. "Let me know if you need anything and I'll call you if anyone sees her around here again."

Josh hung up and stared evenly at the trio on the other side of the counter. "I don't care if you think I'm mad. Seeing ghosts of ten year olds isn't that strange. I've been attacked by a shapeshifter and you all saw the file on that one. Then some super strong guys dumped a truck on me and you all know what happened there."

They frowned as they remembered Josh's state after that one. Josh turned to walk away. "We'll get everyone to keep an eye open for her." Michael called after him. Josh paused and smirked over his shoulder at them making it clear that they had just been tricked into helping him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

A week later

Josh had spent most of the week alone in all honesty. Ryan had taken every opportunity that came around to stay at the Kent's and his Uncle had been in Metropolis for the week. Finals were finally over and after Emily had tried to drown Lana everything had quietened down. With only a week left of school things were getting interesting especially for Josh who was trying to work out what would happen during the holidays.

He couldn't in all conscience go away for the holidays to stay with Bart since Martha was six months along and he'd be needed to keep an eye on her as she went into the final stages but he didn't know whether he wanted to spend the whole summer alone with Ryan spending the whole summer at the Kent Farm rather than at home. If he had to be honest it kind of hurt but he didn't really blame Ryan for it.

Josh had been at work when he had run into Doctor Bryce and Lex Luthor. Lex had allowed Doctor Bryce to introduce them and Josh had been gracious enough to allow it, obviously Lex didn't want to have their first meeting brought up. Josh had still been in the area when he had heard the shocked gasp from Doctor Bryce and had quickly doubled back to find them both standing in the middle of her rather wrecked office.

"Doctor Bryce?" Josh asked. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Mr. Ackervey."

"Is there anything missing?" He asked.

"I don't know." She was lying and Josh knew it since she was staring at her refrigerator with a frown. Josh saw the taint of somebody trying to make a mess without actually taking anything but the fridge had been emptied completely and the vials destroyed.

"I'll go call the police."

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

That Evening

Josh pulled into the Kent Farm and the tyres pulled up dust as he hit the breaks. He hoped out and limped over to the house. He paused as he recognised a car by the barn though. It was Doctor Bryce's. He knocked on the kitchen door and got the normal greeting from Martha.

"Good Evening, Mrs. Kent."

"I was just about to call you, Josh." Martha told him. "Ryan asked if he could stay here tonight and we didn't see a problem with that."

Josh felt himself sag slightly in disappointment but hid it well, or so he thought. "It's probably for the best. My Uncle called while I was at work, he needs to stay for the next week in Metropolis and I'm sure that Ryan doesn't want to be stuck in the house with me for all of that."

Martha looked like she was going to say something more when Jonathan walked in with a worried look on his face. Josh dimly hear Doctor Bryce's care driving off so he started the conversation off since he knew that Jonathan wanted to talk about it but wasn't sure what he knew and Martha was worried about their previous conversation.

"What did Doctor Bryce want?" Josh asked bluntly. Jonathan glanced at Martha in concern. "Normally I'd just butt out but you may remember I actually broke into her office five and a half months ago, if they find anything from then it would be a miracle but it would cost me a lot. I have a right to know what she is worried about."

"She said that the vial of Clark's blood was stolen but we were under the impression that you'd already taken it." Jonathan told him and Martha went rather pale.

"So was I." Josh frowned. "What did she tell you about it?"

"She said that it wasn't labelled so nobody could know it was Clark's." Jonathan told him.

"She must have planted a fake before." Josh crumpled against the counter. "I'm really sorry. I didn't know she'd do that." Josh let his head drop as his exhaustion finally caught up to him.

"Are you alright, Josh?" Martha asked in concern.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Kent." Josh sighed before forcing himself to straighten, "I'm just sorry that I wasn't of any help." They both looked about to argue with him but he continued. "If she didn't label it then I'm certain that nobody will be able to tell it's his unless he's got DNA on file. I better be going."

"Don't you want to see Ryan? I think he's out with Clark and Lana horse riding." Martha told him. "They should be back in time for dinner in ten minutes. You're welcome to join us too if you want."

"No, that's ok, Mrs. Kent." Josh shook his head. "I don't want to intrude. Just tell Ryan to have a good time and not to get in Clark's way too much."

"Ok, Josh." Martha cut her husband off who seemed ready to argue. "We'll tell them."

Josh left without any further preamble and was just pulling out of the drive when he spied three horses coming in through the woods on the far side of the farm.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Smallville High

Josh shut his locker firmly, he'd skived off the last day of school in favour of trying to get hold of Bart but it only meant that he had to come into school today, on the Saturday, the collect his belonging from his locker. Or rather his books since he didn't leave anything else at school.

He was just walking out when he noticed that the Torch's light was on and that he could hear two people inside. He lifted his cane so that it couldn't be heard before sidling up to the side door and he was about to walk in and say hello to Chloe, who he could hear, when the second voice spoke up much clearer.

"It's all set, Miss. Sullivan. A weekly column on current affairs, from the young persons perspective." Lionel Luthor told her.

"I…I don't know what to say, Mr. Luthor." She thanked him.

"Your first project to be handed in to me as soon as you have something is a complete background into Clark Kent." Lionel told him. Josh's eyes narrowed dangerously as he heard the next words. "And while you're at it, I want to know everything you can find on Joshua Ackervey and his adopted brother, Ryan."

Chloe stuttered for a while before Josh heard her chair scrape across the ground as she stood. "I can't believe I ignored by Journalistic curiosity or that I didnt see through this ploy of yours! I won't do it, I won't pry into my friend's life."

"But Mr. Ackervey isn't your friend, Miss. Sullivan." Josh lost him temper then as she didn't instantly refuse to look into his past and before he could control it the door before him glowed green before splintering into a hundred pieces though it didn't fall. He ran for it even as his anger blew out four windows along the corridor. He was long gone before Chloe and Luthor were out of the other door. He was half glad that he'd destroyed the nearest door otherwise they would have seen him.

He was tempted to drive to the Kent Farm but he realised that there wouldn't be anyone there so he drove home before grabbing his cell phone and dialling Ryan's phone knowing that he was at the Rehearsal Dinner for Lex Luthor's wedding. It rang a few times before Ryan answered.

__

"I'm kinda busy at the moment, Josh." Ryan said in a whisper.

"I don't care, this is important." Josh countered seriously. "Are you still at the Dinner?"

__

"Yes, and everyone is looking at me because my phone went off, can this wait?"

"No Ryan, it cant." Josh snapped. "I want you home, now."

__

"What!?" Ryan said rather loudly. _"No!"_

"Ryan, this is serious, Lionel Luthor is looking into your past, and mine too and I wont have you getting closer to his son with so much at risk." Josh argued.

__

"You can't tell me what to do, I want to stay here!" Ryan argued.

"I know that I'm not as important to you as Clark, Ryan, but I am your brother and I'm telling you that it's not safe with the Luthors." Josh knew he was being rather abrupt but he was worried. The Luthors had almost destroyed his family once before.

__

"You are not my brother!" Josh almost dropped the phone in shock as the words cut straight through him.

__

"Ryan!" Josh heard Lana scold him.

Josh's voice was cracked and quiet when he eventually managed to speak again. "Stay with the Kents tonight and stay away from Chloe from now on."

He shut his phone with a thud and let it drop from his numb fingers. To feel something and to hear it from somebody else are two different things. He'd felt for a while that Ryan wasn't happy with him but to hear him say he wasn't his brother was too much. Josh barely noticed as he lost control of his magic for the second time that night and the windows across the whole first floor glowed green before shattering both inwards and outwards with an echoing crack.

"Jeeze, Josh!" Josh span his head to see the familiar face of his boyfriend. "It's a good thing I'm fast or I would've been cut to shreds."

"Oh god. See what I mean!" Josh gasped out. "I'm going to hurt someone."

"What happened?" Bart asked as he slipped over and knelt behind him and draw Josh's crouched form against his chest in a hug. Josh told him everything about the conversation between Chloe and Lionel and then about his phone call with Ryan. "You wanna get away for a while?"

"You serious?" Josh looked up at him as he sagged completely into his arms.

"Of course." Bart told him. "You need to get out of this hick town and back in the city!"

"Ok then." Josh agreed surprising Bart. "Let me just pack." Josh went to stand and by the time he was up, Bart was standing in front of him with a backpack full of clothes and his sketch books. Josh couldn't help but smile in amusement. "I still need to call my Uncle."

In an instant the phone was in his hands. Josh shook his head in amusement before dialling his Uncle's flat number knowing that he wouldn't answer. He didn't think he could explain everything to him at the moment. The machine beeped. "Hey, Uncle Kev. It's me, Josh. I'm just calling to let you know that I'm going to the city for a few days with Bart. Ryan's staying with the Kents for the time being so you don't have to worry. Hopefully I'll see you when I'm back."

He hung up before calling the Kent Farm knowing that it would be empty too. "Mrs. Kent, Mr. Kent. Sorry to do this to you but I was hoping you'd look after Ryan for a while as I'm going to the City for a few days to sort some things out. Thanks."

Josh hung up before placing the phone back in it's socket. "Ready to go?" Bart asked him.

"Why are you in such a rush?" Josh asked.

"I've got a present for you in Metropolis." Bart told him with a wink. "Besides the whole block had to have heard that glass shattering so the police will be here soon and you know I don't like them."

Josh snorted before leaving with Bart. "I hope driving won't cramp your style too much?"

"I'll manage, normally I don't condone moving so slowly but the company will make up for it." Bart teased with an imperious air before losing it as Josh slapped him on the side of his head.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Metropolis

It was eleven o'clock before they arrived in a flat in Metropolis and the sight that greeted him made him smile. In the centre of the room was Arthur Curry, another speed demon like Bart except he could only go fast while underwater as well as breath under it. He could talk to most animals though they weren't especially good at communicating in human speech. He also knew most about Josh except he didn't know about Josh's Wizarding powers though he did know about his healing powers and that sometimes things broke around him.

"Arthur, what are you doing here?"

"I got lonely with only fish to talk to." Arthur told him with a grin. Josh hobbled forwards and hugged him having missed his eco-maniac friend.

"What's wrong with your leg?" Bart suddenly asked as Josh pulled back and turned to his boyfriend. "And for that matter, what's with the new car?"

"Observant aren't you." Josh laughed before hefting his bag and pulling out his private sketchbook. He put his thumb on the lock and it opened. Both other boy's tensed as they realised that they were going to see something important. Josh let the book fall open in his hands before flipping a few pages to where he had copied the police photo that Chloe had got for him. It showed an inverted truck with its bonnet on top of what was obviously Josh's own Jeep's bonnet. The back of the Jeep was obviously not as badly damaged but the chassis had obviously snapped and the back was on the ground.

"Oh my god!" Bart gasped before crushing Josh to him. Arthur caught the book out of his hands to study the picture.

"Were you in that then?" Curtis asked.

"Yup, and on the phone to Ryan and the Kents, and to make it worse the phone wasn't damaged and they heard the whole thing." Josh flinched at the memory of the way Ryan had treated him after the accident.

"Bart told me all about your new little brother and the Kent boy that stole your book." Arthur told him.

"Um, yeah." Josh stammered. "Anyway, that was on the way back from Metropolis last time. I broke my leg twice and my foot as well as fracturing my ribs and being sliced apart a bit. And I have a new scar." Josh pulled his sweatband up but left the burn scar hidden since Arthur wasn't used to it, though he had seen it before. A scar ran from just above his left ear across the top of his temple before ending about a centimetre from his hair line.

"What happened to the truck?" Bart asked.

"Some kids flipped it with superhuman strength and it landed on my car. They were stealing the contents though Luthorcorp never admitted what was in the truck." Josh told him.

"Luthor Corp?" Arthur sighed. "I've just spent two months pissing off their tankers polluting the south seas."

"Really?" Josh raised an eyebrow, "Don't get yourself caught in the fishing nets again."

"Funny!" Arthur growled. They'd met when Arthur had been brought into the hospital with severe injuries. Josh had healed him as soon as he saw the small gills in the boy's throat and then helped him sneak out before anybody could do a physical on him.

"I'm really tired. I'm going to bed." Josh sagged slightly before heading off to one of the bedrooms of the flat. He didn't miss the concerned looks passed between the other two boys but did notice that Bart didn't join him until after he was asleep meaning that he probably stayed up to explain why Josh was so depressed.

XOXOXOXOXOX

Josh spent the next day talking to his lawyer and asking him to keep an eye on his files and records in case somebody went snooping through them. He had heard Chloe refuse to go into Clark's past but not his and Ryan's so he wanted to be ready. He also had them draw up a set of legal documents for him and his Uncle to sign and also a restraining order and a citation which his lawyer had no trouble getting a Judge to sign. There was a reason that his Lawyer was the best in the world and Josh was just glad that he had met him after saving his son's life five years ago. It was because of him that the Luthor's hadn't succeeded.

He spent the rest of his time skimming through a book that Bart had found for him. The cover declared it as sorcery but Bart had been unsure of what was in it since it was written in a language that neither of them could read. A rather spidery and scratchy language but a language that was making more sense to Josh the more he looked at it. So far he had worked out that it was a language that only a few could read and it would only make sense to somebody with the gift to read it.

Josh had to admit that Bart had gotten lucky though he also knew that Bart would have been back over there looking for another book if this one hadn't panned out. Josh was just glad with the idea that he wouldn't be able to accidentally hurt somebody. If it hadn't been Bart that had been in his house when he blew out the windows they would have been seriously hurt or killed. If he could train to be a sorcerer there was no telling what he could do and how he could use it to protect those that he loved.

Maybe, eventually, he'd be able to defend himself against Wizards and be able to stand his ground and live a semi-normal life with his Uncle. And maybe Ryan too if his little brother didn't hate him.

It wasn't until noon that something happened that shocked him to his core. Sometimes when he used a lot of his healing magic on a single person he felt if they were in pain. His Uncle Kev was one, Ryan was another but he didn't realise until that moment that all his scans had given him a link to Martha, or more importantly her baby. Something had happened to them.

He was leaving before the feeling had faded from his mind and he explained it to Bart as he packed up his things in a hurry. He gave them both a quick hug in farewell before jumping in the car. "Drive carefully, love." Bart told him. Josh smiled at him before leaning out of the car to kiss him soundly on the lips.

"Ew!…Gross." Arthur groaned in mock horror.

"Bye Love." Josh told Bart as he pulled back. "Bye Arthur."

With that he drove off for the three hour journey to Smallville.

XOXOXOXOXOX

****

An hour later

Josh knew he was breaking a few speed limits but he didn't much care, all he knew was that he was running out of time and that point was proven as his phone rang. He thumbed the receive button twice to put it onto loudspeaker before speaking.

"Hello?"

__

"Josh!" It was his Uncle Kev.

"Look, Uncle Kev, you can berate me for leaving Ryan alone later, but I'm in a rush." Josh told him.

__

"I'm already in Smallville, Ryan called me this morning in a panic because the Kents drove him home to find the house in a state with all the windows shattered." His Uncle told him.

"I know and I'll pay for it but…" Josh started but was cut off.

__

"It's not important right now, what's important is that there was an explosion at the Kent Farm during the Wedding and Martha and Jonathan were caught in the shock wave and their car went off the road."

"I know, I felt the babies pain." Josh told him quietly. "I'm already almost half way back, I'll be there in just over an hour."

__

"Slow down, Josh, it's not going to help matters if you get yourself killed and Ryan won't forgive himself if something happens to you now." His Uncle told him.

"What are you talking about, he doesn't care." Josh growled out. "I tried to warn him about the Luthors and he just told me that I wasn't his brother."

__

"I know what he said. He told me this morning when I arrived but that doesn't mean he doesn't love you." Kevin told him.

"Let's just forget about this for now." Josh told him. "What about the Kents?"

__

"Jonathan's fine but Martha has a concussion and the baby is in a bad way. I've got her on every immuno-suppressant that I can to stop any irreversible rejection but it might be beyond your abilities to heal." Kevin told him.

"I can at least try." Josh told him. "I'm not in any risk of dying when healing a six month old foetus." Josh reminded him.

__

"I know, that's why I'm keeping her system sedated until you get here but you need to get here in one piece and soon." Kevin warned him.

"Talk to you soon." Josh let the phone disconnect on its own in favour of paying attention to the road as it flew by.

XOXOXOXOXOX

****

An hour later

Josh's Jeep screeched as it found a space to park in the Staff section of the car park and he barely paused to lock it before running across the car park, completely ignoring his cane in favour of speed. He gave the nurses station a cursory greeting but they didn't waste his time and told him Martha's room number. He almost ran for the right room and was caught by his Uncle just as he reached it.

"Josh!" His Uncle admonished. "Where's your cane?"

"Um…In the car." Josh told him with a winced as his leg reminded him that he shouldn't be walking without the cane just yet.

His Uncle just shook his head before telling him everything he knew about Martha's state before letting him go in before him. Jonathan was in the room beside the bed with tears running freely down his face. Josh ignored him in favour of scanning Martha and her belly carefully so as not to be visible through the open door. The blinds were already shut probably for privacy since this was the first floor and a lot of people passed the doors.

"They told me the baby couldn't be saved." Jonathan muttered to himself but looked up at Josh's Uncle with a pleading look in his eyes. His Uncle looked at Josh but Josh just shook his head to show that he didn't know if he could or not.

"Mr. Kent, perhaps we could have a chat in the hallway." His Uncle knew that Jonathan knew of Josh's powers but he knew that Josh wouldn't want any interruptions and a hysterical husband wouldn't be of any help to him. Josh also figured that his Uncle wouldn't have told Jonathan that the baby could be healed in case Josh couldn't do it and Josh was glad since Jonathan hopefully wouldn't blame him for it if he failed which he was starting to think he would.

The door shut with a firm click and Josh could just make out his Uncle's figure through the blinds keeping the door blocked. Josh shut his eyes firmly and poured his healing powers into the woman and her baby. The foetus started drinking his powers up and Josh just fed more into it trying to get it healed enough so that Martha wouldn't reject it.

After five minutes of this Josh was beginning to lose hope and he began to panic as he steadily got weaker as each moment passed and more of his power went into the foetus without major effect. The last thing he thought before he passed out was that he couldn't do it. He couldn't save the baby girl and give Martha the one thing she had always wanted, her own child.

His Uncle ran into the room after hearing a body hit the ground just as Josh's eyes closed but he saw the pain there and knew instantly that he hadn't gotten there in time to do anything to help. He shut the door behind him and Jonathan and left the other man to hoist Josh up onto the side seat as he checked the woman over. Josh truly had put everything into the foetus since Martha, still half drowsy with medication, still had a concussion which meant that Josh hadn't spared anything for Martha.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kent, but there isn't anything we can do." Kevin told Jonathan with a saddened expression.

"He's bleeding!" Jonathan told him and he jerked around. Blood was dripping steadily from Josh's nose.

"Damn, he put too much in." Kevin swore as he moved to check Josh's vitals.

"What do you mean?" Jonathan frowned though he was still visible upset more by his lost baby.

"If he hadn't fallen unconscious he could have drained himself to the point of falling into a coma." Kevin sighed before moving towards Josh with a towel in his hand. "I really am sorry for you loss, Mr. Kent."

"I know, Doctor Ackervey." Jonathan sighed. "It wasn't anybody's fault."

"Let's hope Josh feels the same way," Kevin sighed regretfully. "He'll blame himself for leaving Smallville and not being able to get back in time."

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

The next day

Josh groaned lightly as he came out of his sleep and felt the soreness first, a cramping pain that spread up through his spine and down his left leg. _That's what I get for not using my cane._ Josh thought to himself before his eyes snapped open as the previous event hit him like a sledgehammer with the feeling of tiredness to prove that it had actually happened and wasn't just a nightmare.

He'd had one thing to do and he'd screwed it up because he'd gone off to Metropolis with Bart to feel sorry for himself because of Ryan's words. He didn't kid himself, if he'd been in Smallville and here quicker he might have been able to save the baby but he hadn't. He looked at the sleeping form of Martha Kent who had dried tear tracks down her cheeks that hadn't been wiped off by a nurse yet and he found that he couldn't face her knowing that she'd lost the baby partly because of him.

He forced himself to his feet and grabbed a single crutch that had been left for his use, probably by his Uncle or by Anne or one of the other nurses. Josh ignored the waiting room in favour of his car in the car park and soon he was driving to the Talon. He didn't know why he chose the Talon but he knew he couldn't look at the broken windows that he had caused and he knew he couldn't face the Kents and Ryan would probably be with Clark at the moment. His Uncle would still be in the hospital or at home so the Talon was safe ground.

It was quiet in the Talon as it always was and he pulled his bag open on the table and pulled out his private sketch book before opening it. He turned to the page with Liz Marati on it and studied the face of the first person he had failed and let die though in her case he couldn't have done anything to prevent it.

"Josh!" Lana's upset voice made him look up and slam his book shut in one movement. "What are you doing here?"

"Relaxing." Josh told her seriously. "What's wrong?" He scooted over to imply that she had to sit down and stared at her long enough to make it clear that she didn't have a choice.

"Clark's just driven off to Metropolis." Lana sobbed and Josh lifted one of his arms over her shoulders and hugged her loosely. "He blames himself for Martha's miscarriage and he just took off."

"Why does he blame himself?" Josh asked in shock.

"I don't know, there was this huge explosion on the farm and their storm cellar looks like a bomb went off." Lana sighed.

"Clark couldn't have blown up a cellar though." Josh frowned. "Where is everyone else?"

"Your Uncle and Ryan were at the hospital waiting for you to wake up last time I checked and Mr. Kent is there as well." Lana told him. "What happened to you? Your Uncle told me that you collapsed at Mrs. Kent's beside."

"I don't know, just really tired I suppose. I was in Metropolis and rushed back when I heard about Mrs. Kent and I didn't use my cane when I rushed in so I screwed up my leg a bit." Josh shrugged to cover his collapse.

"Does Ryan know you're here?" Lana asked.

"Um…No." Josh winced.

"He's been hysterical lately." Lana told him.

"I'm not surprised, he was looking forward to having a brother or sister to play with." Josh told her.

"I'm not just talking about that." Lana almost snapped at him. "As soon as he finished talking to you on the phone he ran out of the Dinner and Mr and Mrs. Kent and I had to drive him to your place. When he saw the house he went ballistic about it being his fault. He's been close to tears since he found out you'd left and not much better after your Uncle told him you were back."

"It's him that said I wasn't his brother, Lana. You heard him." Josh told her seriously.

"I know that, but he was only saying it to hurt you." Lana sighed.

"Well it worked." Josh sagged onto his elbows and put his head on his crossed arms. "I've always wished for somebody else to be close to that I wouldn't have to leave and for a while I thought Ryan was it but recently he's gotten so close to the Kents and ignored me and I suppose I realised that when we leave in October he'll stay here. What he said was just the proof I needed. I deluded myself because of how I feel about him but he doesn't need me as much as I need him."

"He does love you." Lana pointed out logically and Josh nodded his agreement.

"I know that but he loves the Kents just as much and Clark more. I'm sure its nice for him to have me around but he doesn't need me around like I need him around." Josh sighed. "I'm sorry, Lana, but I can't talk about this anymore at the moment."

He began packing away his things intending to find a place out in the woods to be properly alone for a while. If Ryan and his Uncle were in the hospital they'd know where he was by now. Lana hugged him as he stood before she headed off for the back and let Josh leave in peace.

He didn't know who the person was that he least wanted to see but he thought Chloe was definitely one of the highest contenders. He took in her appearance and her closed off expression in an instant and knew exactly what was happening as he walked passed. He stopped and turned. She'd found out about Clark and Lana's new relationship, something that Ryan had told him about in a rare moment last week, and had fallen straight into Luthor's trap which meant she was reporting on Josh and himself.

He was tempted to talk to her when his cell phone rang making her glance at him as if surprised to see him watching her. She slipped into the Talon as Josh opened it to answer it. "Yeah?"

__

"Joshua, it's me, Simon." Josh frowned at the sound of his Lawyer's voice. _"I've got news about your records. Somebody was poking around the closed files for the Luthor case and then tried to get through the block to your passed history."_

"Did they manage?" Josh was worried.

__

"They got into the trial but didn't get anything on your history yet." Simon told him.

"Any idea who?" Josh asked.

__

"Not yet, probably somebody on the inside of juvenile records doing a favour for somebody out of it." Simon told him. _"Do you want me to find out who was on the inside?"_

"Find out but don't do anything, I think I know what this is about and that Citation and restraining order should put a stop to it. In fact release the restraining order to Lionel Luthor's lawyers." Josh sighed. With his background with the Luthors getting the order had been easy but it was only a warning strike. Against somebody with Lionel Luthor's power it wouldn't do much but warn him off.

__

"Ok, what about the Citation?"

"I'm about to have a word with the girl I think is working for Luthor." Josh told him.

__

"Ok, I'll let you know what I find."

"Thanks for everything Simon." Josh sighed before hanging up. He walked back into the Talon but didn't see Chloe or Lana anywhere so he headed into the back and found them talking together.

"Don't you see, he's hiding something. The Luthors took him to court over it and lost. He has the best Lawyer in the world working for him." Chloe was telling Lana, proving everything that Josh was theorising. She had just looked into his background. "You owe me Lana and you know it. We have to warn the Kents so they don't get in the middle of it."

"Lana, you've had a tough enough day as it is, I'd suggest you leave for this." Josh spoke up making them both jump. Lana frowned at them both but stood her ground. "Fine. Chloe, I'm sure you know what a Citation is?"

She frowned at him as she watched him pull out the copy of the one Simon had and would pass onto Chloe's father since it was him that would take the blame and not Chloe since she was a minor. Josh passed it to her.

"What's that?" Lana asked as Chloe read it with wide eyes.

"The work of the most powerful Lawyer in the world." Josh smirked. "If Chloe continues her actions by poking into either my Uncle's, Ryan's or my own background then her father goes to prison."

"You can't do that!" Chloe gasped as she evidently reached the place that said exactly that.

"You know what you did earlier is illegal, you got somebody in Juvenile Records to release my private files." Josh told her making her head snap up. "Not only will your source, who my Lawyer will find, lose his job for it if I decide but your father will go to prison."

"How can you put her father in prison for her actions?" Lana frowned at him though it was clear she wasn't happy with Chloe.

"That's what the citation does, as soon as we're finished here my Lawyer will send a copy of that to Chloe's father and if he doesn't put a stop to it then the police have to and since she is a minor he takes the punishment though don't think that Chloe will get away without her own one." Josh told them. "She wont be able to work in the Torch any longer that's for certain and since both Ryan and I are in the same school she'll be expelled, and that's not even going into time in Juve for breaking the law."

"But why?" Chloe gasped.

"Why do you think Chloe?" Josh nearly lost it but calmed himself. "I don't care what you think of Clark at the moment but you can't just jump into bed with Lionel Luthor and ruin my life as well."

"What are you hiding or better yet, who are you hiding from? You obviously did something bad." Chloe spoke up.

Josh did lose it that time and the door slammed shut though neither girl did more than jump at the noise. "I did nothing bad!" Josh spat and before he could stop himself his hand had twitched up to his sweatband just as it did every time he was forced to remember the reason that his Uncle had abducted him in the first place. The movement didn't leave much to the imagination for the two girls about the link between his hidden past and his scars.

Lana was shaking by this point but Chloe just seemed shocked, but she'd probably already looked into what could have caused the scars and there wasn't really any explanation but abuse and attempted murder. "Do what you want to Clark if he hurt you but don't get my family involved. And if you even think for a minute whether this is a bluff or not just ask yourself if the best lawyer in the world would spend three hours getting restraining orders and citations signed for no reason."

Josh span on his heel and slammed open the door leaving two rather shaky girls behind him. He was just glad it was the summer holidays and he could get some peace. He did regret the fact he'd given them several rather obvious clues about his scars but figured that eventually Lana would figure it out since they were friends and that Chloe had probably known, or theorised, about it since she had first seen his burn scar.

He didn't forget to call Simon back and order the Citation released though. He didn't have the energy after that to do anything but drive back to his home and collapse on the living room sofa ignoring the sound of two pairs of feet running from the back of the house.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter

A/N; As is probably obvious I have little to no experience in anything like restraining orders or Citation, if somebody would like to fill me in please feel free and I'll see if it is worth updating the chapter with the corrections.


	9. Moving On

Outsiders

Chapter 9; Moving On

****

Ackervey House

Joshua blinked open weary eyes as a body landed on his own sprawled out one. He could have sworn he'd only just managed to lie his head on the arm of the sofa before his rude awakening. He lifted his head and found a brown haired head on his chest tucked up under his chin and he felt his eyebrows rise up his forehead in surprise. Of all the reactions he thought he'd get from Ryan this wasn't one of them.

He could feel a slight trembling running through Ryan and before he could properly think about it he brought his arms up around him and hugged him. Ryan tensed up slightly before relaxing after realising that he wasn't about to get rejected. Josh glanced around the room and saw Kevin standing in the doorway watching them with a smile on his lips.

His left the room and returned a few minutes later with a pillow and a thin blanket and ignored Josh as he tucked the pillow under Josh's head and lay the blanket over the two of them before gently prying the sweatband from Josh's head knowing that he didn't like to have it on over night. Josh watched as his Uncle retreated from the room and switched off the light before he heard the soft sounds of his Uncle's bedroom door opening and closing. Josh already knew that Ryan was asleep and he slowly let him self fall to sleep.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Most of the summer was simply boring for Josh but he did have his hands full with five days at the Medical Centre each week and then trying to keep Ryan occupied so he wasn't so miserable. Josh swore that as soon as Clark got back from his bout of running away he'd kick his arse for not considering Ryan before he left.

Chloe had surprised Josh by respecting the Citation and Ryan, after having it explained to him in detail by Josh, agreed to keep his distance from the girl. Josh thought it was more because Ryan didn't want to end up back in some sort of research lab more than anything else and Josh couldn't blame him.

Uncle Kevin had been unexpectedly busy through the summer holidays in Metropolis and only managed to get back to Smallville four times over the two month period which upset Josh since he wanted to sort out what they were planning to do. The end of the summer holidays would mark the longest time they had stayed in one place ever since Josh had been 'kidnapped' by his Uncle and Josh needed to know what they were going to do.

All the same, not all of the holiday was a complete waste of time of Josh, he had managed two weeks before the end of the holidays to tap into his magic after five weeks of trying and six rather nasty accidents involving broken household ornaments and a rather annoyed Bart when Josh had blown up a carton of orange juice whilst trying to tap into it.

Bart had spent as much time there as possible and he, being a year younger than Josh and a year older than Ryan, got on famously with Josh's little brother. Though Josh had had to set some boundaries between the two when a prank war started to get out of hand when Bart stole Ryan's cloths when he was in the shower without anybody noticing. Much to Bart's dismay the house became a slow only zone where he wasn't allowed to use his speed. The only reason Bart complied was because it was Josh asking him.

Ryan's own mood was steadily getting better especially once Josh managed to pull his magic out for use forming a small green ball that hovered above the back of his hand being fed by small rivulets of green that flowed up from his hand. It still tired Josh but Ryan loved to watch him practice maintaining it whether it was while they were watching a rented moving or just lounging about the house.

It was the last week that Josh really enjoyed though since his Uncle had managed to talk his way out of work for the whole week. Josh was rather tense about the reasons and whether it was to sort out their move but he was still glad that the three of them could spend all that time together.

They were sitting down for dinner on the last night before school started up again when Ryan got a call from the Kent house to tell him that Clark had returned home. Josh almost could have gone over there and killed the farm boy when he saw the relieved and happy look spread across Ryan's face.

"Can I go over there?" Ryan asked as soon as he hung up.

Their Uncle looked at Josh but nodded all the same. Josh turned to Ryan. "I'll drop you off and ask them to drop you back as long as you're back early enough to get ready for school tomorrow."

"Yes Sir!" Ryan snapped off a sarcastic salute before darting out of the room and up to his bedroom to get his shoes. Josh just laughed before standing up.

"Josh?" His Uncle asked with a subdued tone. "When you get back we'd better talk."

Josh sized him up for a moment before his shoulders sagged slightly but he nodded before walking slowly out of the house and towards his car. Even with his detour, Ryan reached it first and vaulted the side but gave Josh a concerned look when he didn't contest the abuse to his new car. "Seat belt, Ry." Josh decided to play along and the concerned look vanished in rebellion to his mothering tone.

He was back home in under half an hour after getting Martha's assurance that she, Jonathan or Clark would drop him home in a short while. He arrived back to find the washing up in the dish washer and his Uncle sitting at the table leafing through his finances with a satisfied air. With his high paid job they didn't even need Josh's inheritance to stay afloat. Money was never a problem and they only tapped into Josh's family money when they really needed it and once to get a start after they had left England.

Josh sagged into the chair opposite his Uncle and laid his head on his crossed arms in a sigh. "Did you enjoy your summer?" His Uncle asked eventually to break the ice.

"It was ok I suppose."

"You haven't shown me what you've been working on yet." His Uncle smiled as Josh looked up at him. "Ryan's been going on about it all week."

Josh shrugged before holding out his hand in a clenched fist like the book had described. The back of his hand was pointing at the ceiling and he concentrated for almost ten seconds as he sought for his magical core and then pushed the magic through his blood to his arm and then down to his hand and out of his skin. The small marble sized sphere of green magic formed above his fist and crackled slightly before becoming silent.

"You're getting good." Kevin whistled appreciatively. "My Sister could never do something like that."

"According to the book I'm a Sorcerer hence my healing power. Now that I've done this I can't ever use a wand." Josh shrugged. "The book says that I'd overload it."

"You should've talked to me before making such a permanent decision. What if you wanted to get a wand at some point?" Kevin asked him.

"We've already been through this, I don't want to go into any part of that world. I'm happy like this." Josh and his Uncle had been over this so many times. "This way I can use magic and according to the book it can't be traced by the Wizards even if they are in the next room."

"If you don't want to have anything to do with magic why are you learning the spells from that book?" Kevin countered logically.

"Because I blew out all the windows and nearly killed Bart!" Josh half stood before he forced himself back into his chair in irritation. "I've been losing control of my magic for ages. I couldn't afford to just ignore it and this way I can protect us and we can stop."

"Stop?" Kevin asked but Josh didn't answer. "Stop what, Joshua?"

"Stop running, settle down. Make friends!" Josh looked up and realised with a pang that he had tears in his eyes. "I'm tired of moving all the time especially now that we haven't seen any Wizards in so long."

"I thought you didn't like it in Smallville?" Kevin frowned.

"It's not that I want to stay in Smallville, I just want to stay somewhere in general." Josh sighed before answering the actual question. "Smallville's weird but I feel like I can actually fit in here. People have secrets just as bad as mine. I'm not the only freak here."

"You're not a freak, Joshua!" Kevin snapped though he wasn't aiming the anger at his nephew and Josh knew it.

"But there are people just as weird as me!" Josh told him. "Like Ryan! There are people that can understand me!"

"What about Bart?" Kevin asked him. "He can be anywhere you are, it doesn't matter where we are to him."

"I know that, but what about Ryan!?" Josh's voice was rising as the conversation picked up its pace and he barely glanced at the corridor when he heard a creak. Putting it aside as one of the numerous creaks and groans of the house he turned back to his Uncle. "Do you want to be the one that tells him to pick between us and the Kents? Because I refuse to do that!"

"Josh, we knew when we took him in that he'd have to make that choice." Kevin tried to placate him.

"But he doesn't know that, he thinks we're a fixture. He doesn't understand that he's got a month to choose!" Josh almost shouted.

"He'll still be able to talk to Clark." Kevin told him seriously.

"No he won't. He's not stupid!" Josh snapped. "He knows what might be following us, he'll realise that sending letters and phoning Clark every week will only lead them to us. That's already why I can't keep my friends, I don't want to do that to Ryan!"

Tears were falling down his cheeks at this point. For some reason there was a deep well in his chest that pained him every time he thought about leaving Ryan, leaving this place, not because he didn't want to leave Smallville but because he was tired of being uprooted every time he got even partly comfortable with a place. "You keep in contact with Bart!" Kevin was almost shouting now.

"Because I love Bart and if I stopped he'd be here in a second!" Josh snapped. "And because nobody could ever catch him!"

"What do you think we should do then, Joshua?" Kevin slammed his hand down on the table but drew it back at Joshua's violent flinch and half step backwards. "The longer we stay here the more at risk we are."

"I'm tired of this, all of it. I just want it to go away. I'm tired of leaving every place we've ever tried to call home. I'm tired of losing everything!" Josh shook his head and wiped at his eyes.

"I know Joshua." Kevin made his way around the table. "I understand how you feel."

"No you don't!" Josh yelled, rising his voice higher then he had in at least a year. "This is my fault! I caused this because I couldn't protect myself and now we have to move all the time because I still cant protect myself! You can't know how I feel!"

Josh's voice echoed in the stillness of the room and he felt Kevin's hand on his shoulder before he realised his Uncle had closed the gap. He tore his body out of his Uncle's grip and span to the door in an exhausted type of anger. He slammed it open to find Ryan standing in the hallway shaking ever so slightly. He tried to find something to say but nothing would settle as right. In the end he couldn't stop himself from brushing passed him and up the stairs and into his own room.

Josh was trying to sleep almost an hour later when he heard a small knock at his door. He grunted out permission with a rather non-committal noise and a sliver of light from the open curtain in the hallways slid up his wall as the door opened. A large shadow flashed across the rectangle of light, much larger than Ryan and Josh knew it was his Uncle. He turned his back on the door as he rolled onto his side and not twenty seconds later his bed dipped as his Uncle sat himself on the edge.

"Josh, please look at me." His Uncle requested in a quiet voice. "Josh?"

Josh sighed but rolled onto his back and readjusted his head to look at the man. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about what was said." Kevin told him.

"But you're right." Josh shut his eyes in irritation knowing that really he'd lost. It really wasn't safe to stay there, his encounter with Ryan in the hallway had proved that there was too much at risk. "I lost my temper and you were right."

"I'm sorry, Josh, but look at it this way; You lost your temper but didn't lose control of your magic. That's definitely a plus." Kevin chuckled but Josh just groaned.

"Nice try." Josh sighed.

"Seriously though, I just got Ryan to go to bed and I've been thinking. We'll make a compromise." This got Josh's attention and his eyes snapped fully open as he took in his Uncle's mischievous look. "How about we move during the Christmas holidays? Spend a few extra months here? Maybe we can just move to Grandville or somewhere in the state so whatever is decided it won't be such a long drive for the occasional visit?"

Josh flung himself up and hugged his Uncle tightly in a rare show of emotion as a grin spread across his face. Maybe he wouldn't have to face moving quite so soon and maybe by Christmas he'd have a little more training in his magic and could convince his Uncle to let him protect them so that they could stay there for longer.

"I'll take that as a yes then?" Kevin chuckled. Josh nodded against his shoulder before pushing himself away and onto his elbows. He wiped gently at his eyes again showing just how much the fight had effected his usual cold mask.

"What do you think Ryan will do?" Josh asked into the dark room just as his Uncle made to stand and retreat.

Kevin sighed explosively before finishing his motion to stand and looking down at Josh. "I don't know but at least he'll have the Kents if he chooses to stay. Maybe you should contact Simon and have him draw something up?"

"I've already got the forms, all they need is your signature." Josh admitted. "Then if Ryan chooses to stay with the Kents all they need to do is sign it too."

"You did this when you were in Metropolis before the accident?" Kevin asked for clarification. Josh nodded slowly. "I'm sorry I didn't realise you were so worried about us moving on. You've never needed so much warning before, you were always happy with just a weeks notice before. Why so different this time? I mean except for Ryan?"

"Like I said, I don't feel like such a loner in Smallville. There's more people in this town with strange abilities that can't be scientifically explained."

"How do you explain it then?" Kevin asked with a rather amused look on his face.

"According to Chloe, the Torch's editor, it's all linked to the Meteorite strike. Even Cyrus' healing abilities." Josh told him.

"But not yours, or Bart's, or Ryan's." Kevin pointed out.

"Well no, Ryan's was a side affect of his tumour, Bart's was an accident and mine is magic." Josh shrugged.

"Aren't you worried that being around so many strange things is just going to attract attention from the wrong sort of people?" Kevin asked.

Josh just grinned up at him. "The best place to stay hidden is amidst chaos." Josh quoted with a formal air before snuggling back into his blankets. His Uncle smiled before leaning down and kissing him on the forehead being careful not to touch his scar since only Bart could kiss him there without an adverse reaction and then he left, shutting the door quietly behind him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Next morning, first day of school.

Josh didn't always drive Ryan to school, he had a friend that lived between the house and school that he normally met up with on the way. He normally only drove with Josh when it was raining and in that case Josh made a point of picking up Ryan's friend feeling rightly that the boy needed a few friends and it was only a small detour after all.

Today Ryan shocked him by asking for a lift while Josh was in the shower trying to get rid of the knots in his tense shoulders from the argument last night. Josh agreed and he heard the bathroom door shut again as Ryan retreated from the bathroom which had an opaque shower door.

Their Uncle had left early that morning to return to the city and had left breakfast for them which Ryan was already eating in silence. Josh walked in with a small limp, the only remaining give away of his accident except for his two scars, one long one on the back of his right hand running just beside his middle finger's tendon and the other hidden under his hair and his silver sweatband. Josh tried to make small talk about their first day back at school but Ryan wasn't exactly being cooperative and eventually Josh simply finished his breakfast in silence before announcing that he was leaving.

He waited patiently in the car not bothering to put down the top since he always left it up when it was parked at school and Ryan joined him a few minutes later for another round of uncomfortable silence as Josh drove him to school, he offered to pick up Jason but Ryan shook his head muttering something about Jason not getting back from his holiday until Wednesday.

Josh pulled into a parking space at school and killed the engine before slamming his head back into the headrest. He shuttered his eyes and watched as the world through the front window turned to blurs. "Ry, we need to talk about last night." Josh told him simple just as Ryan's hand grabbed the door handle.

"Can't we forget about it?" Ryan sighed.

"No, Ry. I wish we could." Josh opened his eyes again and rolled his head to look at Ryan. "I wish you hadn't heard that."

"You two never argue. It scared me." Ryan admitted after a few moments of staring at his older 'brother.'

"I know we don't, it's just that this time is different." Josh told him. "We've never had to leave somebody behind that we cared so much about."

"What about Bart?" Ryan asked.

"He doesn't really count." Josh shrugged. "It'd be hard to get separated from him for long. This is the first time I've wanted to hang on in one place and with everything this summer I just lost control of my temper. I never meant to do it with you in the house."

Ryan sighed before grabbing his bag. "You knew it would happen eventually though." Ryan told him and watched as Josh frowned. "I mean moving away and leaving me here."

Josh sighed again and turned to look out of the window. He was about to respond when somebody knocked on the side window. It was Clark.

"Wait Ryan," Josh grabbed his arm. "It never even went through our minds to leave you behind against your will. It's a decision for you to make. If you want to stay here then we'll sign custody over to the Kents. I won't stop you if you want to stay with Clark."

Ryan grabbed his bag and opened the door as Clark stepped back. He put a foot out of the door before pausing. "How long do I have? A month." He asked accusatorily. "That's barely enough time."

"Uncle Kev agreed to postpone the move until Christmas." Josh sighed without looking at Ryan or Clark not wanting to be reminded of the baby by looking at Clark.

"Oh, great!" Ryan sighed sarcastically. "Four months."

"Ryan." Josh frowned. "You know what's at risk."

"And so do you and you still wanted to stay. People could protect us you know." Ryan told him.

"And who would be able to do that, Ryan?" Josh countered with only a brief glance of surprise. "Who would want to risk that for us? There isn't anybody." With that Josh opened his own door and pulled his keys from the ignition. Ryan was forced to talk to Clark and couldn't argue the point further though Josh didn't see the point in discussing it anymore. Ryan could only make that choice for himself and part of Josh hoped that Ryan would choose to come with him whilst the more logical part of him pointed out patiently that Ryan would be far safer with Clark living a normal run rather than with himself constantly on the run.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

After lunch

Josh was sitting on his own in the back of the classroom waiting for the class to start. Just like in his other classes he knew that he'd be finished with the work long before the others and made sure that he had his sketch book with him so he could pass the time. It had been this way all day, the teachers were going easy on the students to smooth them back into the school life style after their two month holiday. Josh just found it boring.

He looked up in surprise as somebody he actually knew sat next to him. Normally the seat beside him was the last to be taken since most didn't like sitting beside somebody who refused to make any friends. It was more that people were scared of him than that he was unpopular. He looked at Clark with a sigh as the taller boy sat down and Josh simply let his head fallen onto one of his hands as he rested his elbow on the table.

"What are you doing, Kent?" Josh asked reverting back to using Clark's surname after his summer activities.

"Sitting next to you?" Clark asked with a raised eyebrow as he put his books on the table.

"I can see that." Josh sighed. "Why?"

"Because Pete's sitting next to Chloe and Lana…" Clark trailed off looking at Lana who was sitting peacefully three rows in front of Josh. "And you looked lonely on your own." Clark said to cover up his stumble.

"Troubles with Lana then?" Josh almost snickered before dodging the conversation. "And for your information, Kent. I like sitting on my own, people don't annoy me that way."

"Well, this is the last empty chair." Clark smirked victoriously.

"It is now, it wasn't when you sat in it." Josh countered before starting the long task of ignoring Clark in favour of half-heartedly listening to the teacher and finishing his work without really paying attention to it.

He was staring out of the window beside him half an hour later. The room was filled with a dull noise as everybody chatted as they did their work, yet another sign that the teachers were going easy on them since most wouldn't allow talking when working on worksheets. "Josh, why is Ryan so worried?" Clark suddenly asked in a voice that didn't carry to anybody but Josh.

"What do you mean?" Josh asked as he lazily turned to look at Clark.

"I just spent lunch with him and he was constantly getting distracted and he seemed worried about something." Clark told him.

Josh eyed him suspiciously for a moment but only saw his concern for Ryan and not any desire to pry into Josh's life. He sighed explosively. "You dropped him off last night earlier than me and Uncle Kev expectedly and he caught us in the middle of a fight."

"A fight." Clark frowned. "Ryan said you never fight."

"Did he?" Josh was surprised that Ryan talked to Clark about himself or his Uncle. "We don't normally but tensions have been growing. We're supposed to move again in October."

"So soon?" Clark was clearly surprised.

Josh shrugged. "It'll be a year and that's the longest time we've ever stayed in one place before. We argued about it and Ry heard us talking about what he'll do once we move. Whether he'll stay here with you or come with us." Josh sighed and waited for that to sink in before he continued. "It's his choice but I managed to convince Uncle Kev to wait out till Christmas to give him some more time."

"That's good." Clark put in without knowing what else to say.

"Look, Clark." Josh used his first name getting Clark's attention instantly. "It's going to be hard for him to choose. As much as I'd like to have him come with us it's not as safe as having him stay. In the end it's up to him so please don't mention it to anybody else except Clark and please don't try to convince him one way or the other. He has to do what he wants."

Clark looked shocked for a moment before nodding in silence to agree. He turned back to his worksheet. Josh glanced down at Clark's currently wrong answer. "You missed out a step." Josh muttered making Clark frown up at him and then to Josh's already finished sheet in surprise having obviously thought that Josh was simply slacking off all lesson. "Clark." Josh stumbled. "I wanted to apologise."

"For what?" Clark's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"For not getting here soon enough after the explosion." Josh told him. "If I hadn't run to Metropolis after Ryan…" He chocked slightly. "If I hadn't been in Metropolis I might have been able to save her."

"Her?" Clark swallowed and gulp and Josh flinched at his slip up. He nodded all the same. "Josh. It wasn't your fault, if anything it was mine. I set off that explosion and it caught the truck. Ryan told me yesterday why you ran to Metropolis and I understand why you did it. Nobody blames you for not being here. You couldn't have known what was going to happen."

Josh sagged slightly pushing away doubts without even realising it. "How has your mom been?"

Clark flinched this time. "She held in there but I don't think I helped by running away either." He told him. "Physically I think she is fine. She said she missed seeing you though. After all the times you popped in to help with the pregnancy I think she missed having you and Ryan show up together and act like brothers around each other."

"Clark, I know you wanted a sibling but don't forget no matter what Ryan decides to do you'll always have him. You're just as much, if not more, of a brother to him than I am." Josh told him. "That's part of the reason I find my self wanting him to stay here. I know you'll protect him with your secrets and that if he comes with me he'll only be in danger."

Clark glanced around at the classroom but their conversation had gone unnoticed. "My secrets?"

"Come on Clark." Josh half snapped. "You know my major one and I'm not asking you to tell me about yours so relax."

"What _do_ you know?" Clark asked.

"Ryan hasn't told me anything if that is what you are worried about. I've known there was something different about you ever since I healed you. Your body reacted differently as if it was using my powers to heal itself." Josh told him. "I figure you got something in the storm just like Chloe thinks but I don't know that for sure and I don't think I want to know. Just promise me that you'll drop this prying into my own secrets."

"So you do have other secrets?" Clark asked though he obviously wasn't prying.

"Lots." Josh told him. "But you really don't want to know them, Clark."

Clark nodded slowly before returning to his work. Josh watched him for a moment before realising that he could cope with being friends with Clark. If only so that he could keep in contact with Ryan easier if he stayed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Torch, After school

Josh had forgotten that with Ryan's free lesson last that he should have told him where to meet him to get a lift back home so knowing that Ryan used to spend his frees in the Torch office he headed there. He heard voices as he came into the doorway and saw Chloe and Ryan talking with each other childishly. Neither had a clear view of him so he settled to standing silently against one of the doors.

He had to admit that Chloe did care for Ryan, that much was obvious by the way she spoke to him but she should have known better than to accept Luthor's proposal even if she didn't intend to actually research Ryan. She hadn't bothered to mention to anyone protecting Ryan and had even gone so far as to look into Josh's history which had been the final straw. Since the Citation had gone into affect though, she hadn't done anything against Josh and any attempt by the Luthors to counter the citation would have met a brick wall with their own restraining order.

Chloe glanced at the clock beside the door and the movement made her notice Josh leaning against the doorframe. Her eyes went wide and Josh could have sworn she went slightly pale.

"Don't worry, Sullivan. Your citation doesn't forbid you to talk to or be near Ryan. It only stops you from asking questions about his past. Or my own." Josh told her and she visibly relaxed though she kept an eye on him. "Ryan, did you want a lift home?" Josh asked. Ryan nodded to say that he did so Josh continued. "Can I have a moment to talk to Chloe?"

Ryan frowned but nodded. He hugged Chloe quickly before walking out of the room and passed Josh who detached himself from the door frame and walked further into the room.

"I'm not giving Lionel Luthor anything on you or Ryan." She told him.

"I know you're not but I also know that you still have that column so presumably you did give him something on Clark." Josh countered before holding up his hand to stall her response. "Let me make something clear Chloe. I like you as a person though I think you need to work on your morality a little. Ryan loves Clark and if you gave Luthor anything that will come back and hurt Ryan then that Citation will look like a verbal warning. I could have done a lot more to you when you went snooping and you know it. Think about it Chloe."

Josh spun on his heal and left the room with a rather rebellious grace and started looking for Ryan again.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

The next evening - Kent Farm

Josh and Ryan sat in the car heading down the driveway of the Kent Farm. Ryan and Clark had managed to convince him at school today that he should come to dinner with the Kents that evening.

He hadn't attempted to dress up and his rather tatty looking shirt and baggy trousers really didn't blend in well with the farm's appearance. He stopped the car and got out.

They were almost to the door when it happened. Something that Josh would never be able to forget. People always wonder how they would react if they heard a sniper gun fire but in reality there wasn't much time to think. The sound was in fact the last thing he remembered in that split second.

The first was Clark's face appearing in the window as he spotted them and then of Ryan's body being thrown sideways into his own. For an instant he thought that Ryan had tripped up the steps and used him to get his balance. That thought ended as soon as he realised that Ryan wasn't really trying to grip him. The sharp crack of the shot going off only registered in his mind after he heard Ryan cry out in immense pain.

Josh span and caught him as he fell onto the wooden floor. "Ry!" Josh cried and heard the door slam open and Clark was suddenly over both of them. Covering them both from being able to see the road. "Ry! Look at me!" Josh almost shouted in panic.

Somebody had shot Ryan. Josh looked down at Ryan's chest where a bullet's large exit wound sat in his left shoulder, inches from his heart. "Oh god." He heard Clark even as the other boy grabbed at Josh's shoulder shaking him out of his own shock.

"Get inside!" Jonathan's voice came to him and he struggled to his feet as the man grabbed him under his arms and forced him rather roughly through the door. He span out of the man's grip and turned to see Clark lift Ryan and follow them. He turned in a daze and saw the set table and headed over to it. He rather roughly shoved plates and cutlery onto the floor ignoring the sounds of them smashing against the floor. Clark lay Ryan down and Josh was near his head in an instant.

"Ry, please open you eyes." Josh placed a hand on his cheek. To his shock Ryan did just that.

"Martha, call an ambulance!" Jonathan told his wife and she ran back into the kitchen to grab the phone.

Josh had made his decision even as he had collapsed on the porch and white light flooded the room as his powers started ripping through Ryan's body. "No." Ryan muttered but Josh knew there wasn't any way he wouldn't make this sacrifice for Ryan.

Josh felt the power fade even as the wound closed over leaving nothing but a ruined shirt to cover the redness of the blood now coating the table and Ryan. Josh sagged and managed to half catch himself on the edge of the table before he felt the world spin violently. He felt himself choke on bile as the damage was avenged onto himself and he felt his body ripping itself apart. He felt Ryan's hands grabbing at his own and only Clark's quick reflexes prevented the newly healed Ryan from being pulled onto the ground as Josh collapsed to the floor.

The table tipped over as Ryan scrambled onto the ground. "Josh, why?"

"Rather me than you." Josh croaked out. Ryan had been in more pain than Josh was now and Josh held onto the fact that Ryan was now alive.

"Oh god. You can't die." Ryan cried and grabbed at Josh's shirt to try and snap them both back into a reality where this hadn't so unexpectedly happened. Josh's rather limited view of just Ryan's head slowly faded as the blackness filled it in and he fell into unconsciousness as his blood slowly leaked onto the floor. The last think he felt was Ryan grabbing his head and the last thing he heard was Ryan's sobbing.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Smallville Medical Centre

Josh's hearing returned to him first and he found himself glad that the pain wasn't the first thing he noticed. He could hear Doctor Havermire talking on the other side of the room so he knew that he was in the hospital.

"We suspect that the shot was fired from the edge of the weapons range since although the bullet passed through his shoulder there was very little secondary damage done to his lung or shoulder muscles." Havermire was telling somebody. He obviously thought that he was the one that had been shot. His healing abilities only gave him a smaller version of the damage so the wound hadn't been so bad but still a small version of a fatal bullet wound was still very bad.

"What about permanent damage?" Josh tried to open his eyes as he heard his Uncle's voice but couldn't reign in the energy required.

"I don't see any reason that he would have any. The bullet grazed his lung but apart from that it didn't rupture anything important." Havermire told his Uncle who grunted.

"Thank you, Doctor."

"We're just glad he'll be ok, when we brought him in the hospital almost came to a standstill." Havermire told him. "We had every off duty staff member offering to help."

"He has that effect on people." His Uncle sighed.

Josh tried to tell the doctors that he was awake but he only managed a pained groan before he slipped back into sleep.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

The next day

It was his feeling that came to him this time, he felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder presumably from having a 'bullet' rip through it. Then there was the pain in his head from almost killing himself to heal Ryan though he thought it was worth it. Lastly and most importantly was the feeling of somebody's hand in his own. He groaned as he forced his tired eyes open and felt the bed wobble as somebody pushed themselves off of it. Evidently whoever had been holding his hand had been leaning on the side of the bed as well.

He turned his head to the right and saw Ryan staring at him. He tried to smile but was too tired to manage it. "Hey." He croaked in a voice that barely reached Ryan.

Ryan scrambled for the nurse button and almost broke it in his haste to summon somebody. "Don't you ever do that again!" Ryan snapped at him.

Josh turned his head to look at the door just as his eyes tried to close again and saw the blurred image of Anne entering the room and looking at him. His eyes closed as he fell back asleep with a few last words. "Love you, Ry."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	10. The Decision

Outsiders

Chapter 10; The Decision

****

A day later - two days after the incident.

The first time that Josh had awoken it was his hearing that had come first, the second time it was his ability to feel and that was the worst. The third time it was his eyes that opened first. The room was lit only by a small table lamp on his left between him and the window which showed through half shuttered blinds that it was late on a September evening and only a grey light filtered through it. He tiredly turned his head towards the door but didn't have the energy to lift it.

The door was open halfway which Josh found strange in a hospital since nurses always either left them wide open or fully closed for privacy. The light from it spread across the room's floor and the seat beside the bed where Ryan sat reading a school text book oblivious to the fact that Josh was awake. Josh found himself unable to gather the energy to make a movement to alert Ryan to his awakened state nor call out a warning when a figure emerged from the shadows next to the open door.

Josh would have frowned if he could since he hadn't had any real contact with Van McNulty and couldn't think of one good reason for the boy from his school to be visiting him in the hospital. Van met his eyes briefly but he simply smirked as he realised, as did Joshua, that he was unable to gather the strength to do anything but watch him as he silently snuck up on Ryan and brought the back of a knife hilt down onto Ryan's head knocking him sideways out of the chair and onto the floor.

Josh tried to yell for help but all that came out was a low groan. He tried to move his hand but it fell back to the bed as Van strode up to the side of the bed. Josh realised in an instant that Van must have been the shooter and knowing full well that he had shot Ryan he now knew of Josh's healing powers and was trying to kill them both. Knock out the live one, kill the cripple and then kill the other. Van pulled the pillow from under Josh's head and a well of panic spread through him knowing that Van planned to smother him as he lay defenceless. He tried to desperately grab at his magic but it slipped through his grasp in his panic, not that he would have been able to do anything with it if he had succeeded.

Josh felt the pillow fall across his face and felt as if the air was being sucked from his lungs. He threw himself around as much as possible but Van was strong even for a teenager. Adrenaline fuelled Josh though and he didn't need to be able to see the nurse button to know where it was even in his panicked state. With every ounce of strength he had he forced his hand across the bed. Van's own hand caught it but Josh had enough leeway to press the button before his assailant realised what he had planned.

Josh knew he should keep struggling but he'd used up all of his energy. His eyes dimmed even as the room brightened and he fell back into his sleep without knowing what had become of him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

The next afternoon

Josh woke with more of a start then he had the previous three times and instead of slowly coming to an individual sense everything crashed down upon him at once. The pain in his shoulder, the glare of the bright afternoon light through the window, the steady thrum of people passing his door and finally the smell of the antiseptic. He groaned loudly and tried to sit up in the clearly empty room but only managed to fall back onto his pillow.

In his murky state he only really thought of one thing, the last thing he had see. Van McNulty attacking Ryan and then the pillow. The beeping of his heart monitor doubled in a couple of seconds setting off the alarm set into the equipment. Why the equipment was there he didn't know, it hadn't been there when Van attacked or his panic would have drawn the nurses rather than having to find and press the button.

The door slammed open and bounced off of the stopper making Josh jump slightly though it only preceded a groan of pain since he didn't have the energy or strength to do anything else to protect himself. He relaxed quickly as a worried Anne ran into the room followed by two police deputies with their guns out.

"Joshua! Please calm down!" Anne ordered as she forced him back onto the bed. Josh complied.

"Anne! Where's Ry?" Joshua grabbed her wrist as she made to pull back. "Did he hurt him?"

"You mean the attacker?" Anne frowned. "Josh, did you see who attacked you?"

"Answer me damnit Anne, where's Ry?" Josh gasped out. Anne's face took on an apologetic look and she sat on the edge of his bed.

"He's fine, Josh." Anne smiled down at him. "Sorry, you've given us a few scares too many. You were…" She choked down a sob as she forced the words away.

Josh tried to squeeze her hand but his grip was weak. "I was really bad." He finished her words. "I heard Doctor Havermire tell my Uncle."

"Joshua, it's really important, did you recognise the person that tried to kill you?" Anne asked. Josh nodded wearily feeling the weight of the pillow on his face once more. He shook ever so slightly. "Shh…It's ok sweetie, there's going to be guards watching you every hour of the day."

"Ry?" Josh gazed at her pleadingly.

"Clark Kent's promised to not let him out of his sight for even a moment and he's going to live at the Kent farm the rest of the time." Anne assured him. "When he's not here that is. I'm going to go call your doctor and the Sheriff's going to want a statement."

Josh nodded tiredly and watched as Anne left him alone with the two silent deputies who were simply watching him. Eventually Doctor Havermire, the trauma surgeon at the hospital, walked into the room and the two Deputies left to wait on the other side of the closed door. "Joshua, I think you should know that there is an entire crowd of nurses and doctors outside in the corridor waiting to be let in to see you. And most of our long-term patients are clamouring to be allowed to come down here to see you."

"That's good to hear I suppose." Josh croaked out. "So…grazed lung, minor secondary damage. Anything changed since the conversation with my Uncle?"

"Amusing." Havermire grunted with a small smirk on his lips. "No, there hasn't been any complications. You're on intravenous Antibiotics to prevent any infections as well as the normal horse pills to deaden the pain. We'll keep you here until the weekend in five days and then probably release you into your Uncle's care for the weekend."

"Is he off work?" Josh asked half shocked.

"He took the first two days off but he had to return this morning. He said to tell you that he'll call you later tonight if you woke up and he agreed that he'd take you home for the weekend since he has it off." Havermire told him. "Well, take it easy. The sheriff is waiting to talk to you about your attacker but I've told her not to overdo it. If you think you're too tired then tell her to back off."

Josh nodded and watched as the doctor left the room and a few seconds later the sheriff walked inside along with Anne who raised the back of Josh's bed so he could sit upright to talk to Sheriff Nancy Adams. "Thanks Anne."

"You just take it easy, sweetie." Anne told him and placed a brief kiss on his forehead before backing out of the room.

"How are you doing, Mr Ackervey?" The sheriff asked in her no nonsense tone.

"On or off the record?" Josh asked warily.

She snorted in amusement. "Off."

"I feel like I was just shot and then some guy tried to smother me while I was helpless." Josh told her. "And now I'm still helpless and by the fact that you are here and Ry is still in danger the guy is still out there and still wants me dead. How should I be doing?"

She grunted. "Did you recognise him?"

"Van McNulty, a boy in my year at school." Josh told her.

"You are certain of this?"

"Of course I am, I'm not going to name somebody if I'm not sure." Josh would have snapped at her if he had the strength.

"You were drowsy with painkillers and had been asleep for three days." She pointed out logically.

"Well, I am sure." Josh told her. "I couldn't hear anything or feel anything at the time but I could see him clearly when he knocked Ryan out and put the pillow…" He trailed off feeling the force on his face again. He sucked in a breath of air to counter the feeling as best as possible.

"What could his motive be?" The Sheriff asked but Josh wasn't sure who she was directing the question at, herself or him. Josh thought about it for a moment before remembering something that Lana had told him about her ex boyfriend that Josh had only met when Tina Greer had shown up.

"Actually he does have one." Josh suddenly spoke up. "Do you remember Tina Greer?"

"The girl that according to the esteemed Clark Kent, can change into any person?" She asked sceptically.

"I saw her change from being Whitney Fordman into herself." Josh countered. "She killed Van's father when he went to tell Mrs Fordman about Whitney's death. He might have a grudge against people with special abilities."

"Even though that explains the attack in the school this afternoon it doesn't explain why he shot you." The sheriff told him.

"Maybe he thought that I was a 'meteor freak', or maybe he was actually going for Ryan." Josh fumbled before realising what she'd said. "Wait, who was attacked at school?"

"A boy called Jake Pollen was shot by a sniper while trying to drown Lana Lang in the school swimming pool. I've just come from the clean up. Nobody saw the shooter." She told him. "He had gills. I swear I'm starting to believe Kent's crazy stories." She rubbed at her forehead and Josh tried to grin at her.

"Do you need anything else, Sheriff?" Josh asked.

"Not right now. We'll need you to testify against him when we catch him though." She turned to leave. "Mr. Ackervey? I swear we'll catch him before he can hurt either you or your brother."

"Thank you, Sheriff." Josh sighed before letting his eyes drop closed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

He didn't think he'd napped long before he woke again to the sound of people entering his room. Lot's of people if he was honest with himself. The room had undergone a startling change since the last time he was awake and was now filled with flowers so that the smell of flowers overwhelmed the smell of antiseptic. "The room seems to be growing." Josh commented idly before his guests realised he was awake. He eyed the nearest set of flowers warily.

Anne laughed. "They're all from old and new patients, a few of the doctors and families that you've spent time with." Anne told him. "Curse of a small town."

Josh glanced from Anne to Michael as they checked his stats and fussed with his bed. He gave them a smile and they left him in peace with the rest of the room's occupants. Ryan sat on the edge of the bed as soon as he could get passed Michael. Clark stood behind him seemingly to stop Ryan from jumping on the bed. Martha Kent was there too as well as Chloe and Lana.

"How do you feel, Ry?" Josh asked as he grabbed his hand.

"You're joking right! How do _I_ feel?" Ryan seemed hysterical. "I wasn't the one that was shot or suffo…" He stumbled over the last words.

"I'm talking about your head. Van hit you pretty hard." Josh pointed out.

"Van?" Clark suddenly spoke up. "As in Van McNulty?"

Josh nodded. "We have to tell the Sheriff!" Chloe put in.

"I've already given her a statement." Josh tried to shrug but simply winced as he tried to move his shoulder. He forced down a yawn but saw that everybody noticed it.

"We should leave you to get some sleep." Martha told him before moving towards him and kissing his forehead. He realised then that he was wearing his sweatband and made a note to thank Michael or Anne for putting it on him. He smiled at her as she tried to flatten his unruly hair before leaving the room with Chloe. Lana lingered for a moment and caught Josh's eye.

"Come on Ryan." Clark said after smiling at Josh.

"Can I stay for a while?" Ryan asked looking between the two older boys.

"I'd like that Ry but Clark and Mrs. Kent are looking out for you and I don't want them having to linger around." Josh told him. "I'm going to be asleep anyway."

"But I want to stay with you." Ryan told him. "There's guards outside the door so I'll be safe."

"And how are you planning on getting home?" Josh asked.

"I'll come pick him up tonight." Clark jumped to Ryan's rescue and a wide grin spread across Ryan's face.

"Are you sure, Clark?" Josh asked him.

"Yeah." Clark nodded.

"Can you go with him to get some food from the cafeteria?" Josh asked glancing at Lana for a moment and then back to the two boys who seemed to understand, though Clark was frowning slightly.

"Come on Clark!" Ryan chirped before pulling him from the room.

"So, Lana." Josh asked, "What's got you so scatty?"

"Scatty?" Lana frowned. Josh just shrugged. "Did you hear what happened at school earlier?"

"You mean you being attacked by Jake and then Jake being killed?" Josh asked.

She nodded before moving to sit at Josh's side. "Clark's adamant that he must be evil but he saved my life. Clark can't understand that. We had a massive argument over it."

"Lana, do you really think that Van was trying to save you?" Josh asked. "He just happened to be there with a sniper just as you needed saving?"

"Maybe not but that doesn't mean he's completely evil." She pointed out. "He could have just let me die and then killed him but he didn't. He saved me."

"He tried to kill me and Ryan." Josh told her bluntly. "I know you think he saved you on purpose but he tried to kill a fifteen year old boy. There no redemption for that. It's inexcusable. Ryan's never hurt anybody in his entire life. Nor did Jake."

"What about you?" Lana asked insightfully.

"I've never hurt somebody on purpose." Josh told her bluntly. "I'm sorry, Lana, but I've got to side with Clark on this one if only to protect Ryan. I won't ever let anybody hurt Ryan. Not even the people that could be my friends."

"Like Chloe?" Lana asked warily.

"Believe it or not but she would never have found anything worth the time she would have put into the search." Josh told her.

"Then why do all of that to her and her dad?" Lana asked accusatorily. Josh had been waiting for this conversation ever since Lana had witnessed what Josh had said to Chloe.

"To protect her." Josh told her seriously. "She digs in too deeply with no regard to her own life. I don't have a clean past, Lana, that much must be obvious to you. I've never tried to hide that from anybody but people are still looking for me and if Chloe goes hunting for information on me there's a chance they could trace it back to her and then to me and that would put everybody at risk."

"So you did it for her own safety?" Lana frowned.

"No, I did it for Ryan's safety. Chloe's safety is second to that." Josh told her and her eyes widened slightly. "Not that I don't have Chloe's safety in mind too."

Lana sighed heavily before shuttering her eyes briefly. "You know, Chloe only did what she did because she reacted badly to me and Clark going out."

"I know." Josh shrugged. "It was your decision not to tell her. I knew something like that would happen as soon as I realised the two of you had finally got passed the bumbling stage."

"You knew?" Lana frowned.

"Of course I did." Josh laughed but only ended up gasping in pain. He winced before continuing. "Ryan noticed to, its hard not to when you and him disappeared at random times and that Clark started cancelling his appointments with Ryan."

The door burst open and Ryan dashed inside with a grin on his face. "Anne gave me chocolate." He smirked and Josh groaned.

"I'll see you later, Josh." Lana leaned in and hugged him briefly before leaving the room.

"What was that about?" Ryan asked. "All I heard was something hazy about Van rescuing her like she's been thinking all day."

"You can hear her?" Josh asked before wriggling to move over in the bed. It was painful but worth it when Ryan lay down on the bed and sighed.

"Just a bit and only if I really concentrate on it." Ryan admitted.

"Do you want me to heal it?" Josh asked.

"Not after the last time you healed me." Ryan told her sternly. "I can't believe you did something so stupid. Uncle Kev's been ranting about you being so stupid constantly when he isn't fussing over me at home."

"I had to." Josh said simply.

"You could have died." Ryan spoke quietly.

"_Could_ have died, Ryan." Josh almost snapped but forced himself to calm down. "That's the entire point. You _would_ have died. You didn't have a chance of survival whereas I did."

"But you still shouldn't have risked it."

Josh forced Ryan to move so that he could see him properly. Ryan sat up and stared down at Josh with tears in his eyes. "There isn't a single moment where I wouldn't do the exact same thing if your health was at risk." Josh told him seriously. "I'm never going to let somebody hurt you, Ry. I know you've never had somebody love you like that before us and the Kent's showed up but we all love you and we'll all protect you."

Ryan let his head drop down onto his chest with a sigh. "I suppose I'll have to get used to it one day." Josh forced his hand up off of the bed, the same one that had his IV drip in it, and with monumental effort he placed it on Ryan's head and feebly ruffled his hair. Ryan rolled his eyes but accepted the loving gesture for what it was.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Josh was pleased to get out of the hospital that weekend. Clark, with some help from a lead vest had managed to save Lana from Van and aid in his capture and Josh had given a formal statement that had helped to get the guy locked up in Belle Reve Sanitarium. He arrived home early on Saturday morning and was promptly forced into bed rest by his Uncle and Ryan, probably out of sympathy more than anything, joined him to watch DVDs on his TV for most of the day while Josh caught up on a weeks load of homework.

It wasn't until that evening that the one person he really wanted to see arrived, he'd wondered if Bart even knew what happened to him but was sure that Ryan had found a way of leaving messages for the sixteen year old boyfriend of his seventeen year old brother.

"You know, dude, I think you spend more time in a hospital then you do in here!" Bart accused making Josh jump as he appeared in the room through the suddenly open front door.

"Dude? Reverting to your routes again." Josh countered before pulling his boyfriend down onto the bed. "I can't believe Uncle Kev is forcing me to stay in bed. I feel fine as long as I don't move my shoulder."

"How did you manage to get yourself shot?" Bart asked. "Arthur called me saying he heard about some guy in Smallville trying to kill meteor 'freaks.'"

"And you instantly thought of me?"

"And the little twerp." Bart smirked slightly.

"You're definitely getting soft compared to the rug-rat thief you used to be." Josh told him fondly.

"I prefer to think of myself as an entrepreneur of goods." Bart retorted with a glint in his eyes. "Besides I'm an only child, it feels nice to think of the two of you over here."

"Why don't you just move here then?" Josh suddenly asked, it wasn't the first time since they had gotten together than Josh had suggested Bart moving in with him and his Uncle. "You could stop sleeping in a different bed each night. Enjoy a simple life."

"You know I can't do that." Bart sighed. "I can't imagine that sort of life. I want to be free."

"Do you really think I don't know that?" Josh asked with surprising fervour. Seeing Ryan shot without so much as a warning had unsettled him. He had an indescribable urge to gather all of his loved ones together in a small room and lock them all together to protect them. "I just want you to be happy."

"I am happy, Josh. I'm happy not having any responsibilities or cares." Bart told him seriously. "Except for you that is. At least with you I wont forget what they mean."

"That's my Bart. Stubborn, greedy but loving." Josh smiled a sappy smile before leaning over and kissing him. "Bare in mind you have to go easy on me. I'm injured."

"You didn't tell me how you got shot." Bart told him.

"I didn't, Ryan did. I healed him because he nearly died and took the wound myself." Josh told him. Bart shook his head once as he stared in horror before finally letting his head fall onto Josh's chest. He shook his head for a while against Josh's chest before beginning to chuckle rather hysterically.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Three weeks later - England

Rufus Scrimgeour rubbed at his temples trying vainly to rid himself of his headache as he poured over the latest reports. He had given up hoping for a good report to pass his desk in the two years he had held his position and he knew this newest stack wouldn't break that record. Attacks all across England were detailed in every one of them with the odd report of a missing person to break up the pattern.

He sighed and looked up as his secretary walked into the room, leaving the door open behind him. "Minister? Headmaster Dumbledore is here to see you."

"Show him in, Marcy." He nodded and plastered a fake smile on his face as the aged man walked into the room. He had to give the man credit for his ability to hold up his façade in the world they struggled to survive in. "Albus, it's so good to see you in good health. The healers at St. Mungo's were so concern about the curse you recently encountered."

"Ah, Rufus, I fear the damage is done, though to an old man like me, the loss of use of a hand is a small price to pay in this war." Albus smiled slightly keeping his lifeless left hand hidden from view. With the Ring destroyed there was nothing that stood between Voldemort and his death except for the missing Harry Potter.

"So, things are in place?" Rufus asked. "He can be killed?"

"Not by anyone we know. We still need Harry Potter." Albus said as he eased himself into the chair.

"We've found the man that kidnapped him in an American city." Rufus informed him. "We should be able to find out where Harry Potter is from him before we dispose of him and attain rights of custody with the Prophecy Laws of 786."

"And you have somebody in mind to do this?" Albus asked.

"I have just the Hit Wizard in mind." Rufus told him. "We'll have Harry Potter back soon enough."

"Hopefully before he realises exactly what he is capable of. I had so hoped that he would be forced into wand magic long before he found out about sorcery." Albus sighed. "It would have been so much simpler if those damnable muggles hadn't gone too far in their abuse."

"Some people are harder to manipulate I find." Rufus agreed without a single twinge from his conscience.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Smallville

Josh slammed his book closed and carelessly threw it across the room. "Hey, do you know how much it cost to get that!?"

"I thought you stole it?" Josh retorted back at his boyfriend. It had been a long three weeks for Josh, he'd studied at school so that when the eventual move occurred he wouldn't be caught out at the next school and, still not knowing what Ryan would do when the time came, he made sure his brother did the same.

The last three weeks had been interesting but not really abnormally so for Smallville and Josh, with his injured shoulder so soon after his crash three months ago, tried to stay out of it as much as possible.

"Ok, ok, I did technically steal it but it's a but more complicated than that." Bart winced. "I asked for some help. Or rather I was caught snooping in Queen Enterprises Library for it."

"You got caught by Queen security?" Josh was on his feet instantly. "You said the Wizards had it. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't tell you because I knew you'd freak. I wasn't caught by security though." Bart sat on the armchair. Josh just waited him out. Eventually Bart relented. "Oliver Queen."

"You got caught snooping through the personal library of one of the most powerful men in America?" Josh asked. "Are you crazy!?"

"We had a long conversation." Bart put in rather meekly. "He was more interested in why I wanted the book than that I was trying to steal it."

"Did you tell him about me?" Josh asked.

Bart winced. "I told him about myself and the accident and I told him I knew somebody who might be able to read the book. He said that he knew there were things in this world that he couldn't understand and that if giving me the book would help my friend then he'd give it up freely as long as we came to him if we ever needed help."

"He gave you the book?" Josh asked. "As long as we came to him if we needed help?"

"Uh…yeah." Bart muttered. Josh put his right palm to his head in shock and slowly shook his head from side to side.

"Anything else you think I should know?" Josh asked warily.

"Not really." Bart told him with half a smile on his face. "I believe him, though I don't plan on taking him up on it if I can help it."

"Oh, so you do have a brain in there somewhere?" Josh rose his eyebrows up and Bart pounced on him in an instant knocking him down onto the armchair and straddling his lap.

"Can we please get back to your lesson in the book?" Bart asked trying to get the upper hand again.

"You know I can't get passed it. Turning into my inner animal is harder then it sounds."

"And it sounds pretty difficult." Bart leaned back with his hands on Josh's knees. "But it'll help you access your sorcery, that's why the guy suggests it first."

"But it's as difficult as the hardest stuff in here that I don't even understand yet." Josh mumbled.

"Well at least that will make the middle stuff easier to do once you've got that bit down." Bart told him conciliatorily. "And hopefully you can convince your Uncle to let you stay once you can use your magic."

"Yeah, but we should already be gone."

"Already?" Bart frowned.

"It's been over a year already. That's the longest time we've ever stayed in one place. If Uncle Kev had his way we'd already have moved to Grandville and would be moving again at Christmas to San Francisco." Josh sighed.

"So you're still here because you argued with him to stay in one place…for Ryan's sake?"

"And my own, I'm tired of running all the time." Josh sighed and relaxed back onto the chair's cushioned back. Bart swivelled around in his lap and rest back on Josh's right shoulder away from the wound.

"Well it doesn't matter to me where you go." Bart told him. "I can follow you anywhere."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Two days later

Josh drove into the Kent farm and even had to stop as Ryan ran across the drive and into the barn. He shook his head in amusement before hoping out of the car and walking towards the house.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Kent." Josh greeted with a small smile.

"It's so good to see you, Josh. It's been so long since you agreed to come for dinner." Martha told him as she hugged him tightly.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, Mrs. Kent." Josh sighed. "I've just really been busy with studying. The problem with having to move again is that I have to be months ahead just to keep up-to-date at school."

"So you are definitely moving?" Martha asked him.

Josh winced slightly. "Yeah, Uncle Kev wanted to be gone by now but I made him hold off until the Christmas holidays so that Ryan could make a decision."

"He mentioned that earlier to us." Martha told him but was interrupted from explaining when Ryan ran into the room with a large grin on his face being chased by Clark who was laughing. The smile vanished as soon as he saw Josh. "Uh, boys, why don't you go into the front room. Clark can help me set the table."

"But, mom…" Clark complained but was quelled by a look from his mother. Josh frowned but followed Ryan into the front room.

"You talked to Mrs. Kent about your choice?" Josh pre-empted his little brother.

"Uh…" Ryan froze looking down at the ground.

"I take it you want to stay here with the Kents then?" Josh asked with as much acceptance in his voice as he could muster. Ryan snapped his head up to look at him. "To be honest I hoped you would stay with them."

"What?" Ryan gasped with tears creeping into his eyes. Josh jumped in and hugged him realising his mistaken words.

"I don't mean I wanted you to stay here. I would have loved you to come with us, but you'll be happier here and safer too." Josh assured him. "I can't say I'm not disappointed that I'll have to email you to keep in contact but I am happy you'll have Clark to protect you."

Josh kissed him on the forehead before pulling out of the hug seeing tears in Ryan's eyes. "I'm so sorry." Ryan muttered.

"You don't have to be sorry, Ry." Josh told him. "I'm just sorry I have to go at all, but we've got till Christmas before I have to go. Let's not worry about it at the moment, lets just go and eat dinner."

"Ok, Josh." Ryan consented. "You know you'll always be my big brother right?"

"And you'll always be my little brother." Josh told him sincerely. "You know even Bart is starting to think of you as a little brother?"

"Oh dear. Now I'm in trouble."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	11. Leviathan

Outsiders

Chapter 11; Leviathan

**A week later - Kent Farm**

Ever since the week before when Ryan had told Josh that he planned to stay with the Kent's his younger brother had barely been out of sight. He turned down two opportunities to hang around with Clark in favour of spending time sitting in the nurses station at the medical centre so he could hang out with Josh whenever he wasn't busy. Michael, Anne and Cassandra hadn't needed to be told Ryan's decision and had done everything in their power to make sure that Ryan didn't feel guilty about it. Josh had also noticed they had been keeping a closer eye on him and he was also well aware that they were planning a surprise going away party for him for two weeks time in the centre's cafeteria.

His Uncle had spent the last three days in San Francisco looking for a house on the outskirts of the city and looking into Josh's new school and also the hospital for work. Luckily his Uncle was one of the best Trauma Surgeons in the world so work was never scarce, any hospital would love to have him even if only for half a year.

Martha had convinced Josh to come for dinner that evening and since Ryan had just finished a long shift at the medical centre and didn't feel like cooking for him and Ryan he had accepted especially since he knew that Martha was worried about him now that they all knew he'd be without Ryan come the Christmas holidays. They were worried that he would revert to the moody boy they had first met over a year ago and Josh knew it. It would take him a long time to get over losing Ryan but it was best for them both if they didn't stay in frequent contact. Josh had a feeling that Ryan knew this too and had gone out of his way to assure the younger boy that he didn't doubt that Ryan's decision was for the best.

As their chicken salad dinner progress he couldn't help but get caught up in the enjoyment that came from the family. It had been four months since Martha had lost the baby and she was starting to really put it behind her and even though Josh still got upset at the picture of the event in his private sketch book he was starting to truly understand that it was in the past and he couldn't change it now. He'd made a mistake by giving into his emotions and running to the city but anybody would have done the same in his position and the Kent's obviously didn't blame him.

"So, Josh. When is your Uncle back in town?" Jonathan asked as he motioned for Ryan to pass him a bowl of new potatoes to refill his plate. Josh didn't feel like eating much.

"I'm not sure, he was supposed to be gone till tomorrow evening but if he cant get everything done he'll be there until he has." Josh fiddled with his cell phone sitting on the table next to his plate. "He was supposed to call me at seven either way."

The other four all looked up at the clock on the wall even though they knew it was well passed eight already. "I'm sure he's just busy." Martha told him. Josh swallowed away the feeling of wrongness that he couldn't quite place and offered her a weak smile. It was beginning to feel like when somebody his powers were attuned to was hurt but it wasn't nearly as clear to him.

Martha was just placing a chocolate cake on the table when two things happened. Josh choked at the sight of the rich food and felt his stomach twist painfully, a sure sign he was about to be sick and his phone jerked on the table as it vibrated to show an incoming call. He reached for it but felt bile rise in his throat. He covered his mouth and darted from the room.

He reached the downstairs bathroom in time to throw up his recently downed dinner and felt a large hand rubbing his back. He turned his head slightly to see Jonathan crouched beside him. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it, Josh. Martha's cooking can do that to people sometimes." Jonathan chuckled.

"Jonathan Kent! I heard that!" Martha's outrage made Josh smile and he collapsed backwards as Jonathan handed him a clean towel to wipe off his face.

"I've been feeling bad for about an hour. I thought it was my healing powers acting up and that's what's had me worried about Uncle Kev." Josh motioned to the toilet bowel. "Evidently I'm just ill."

Ryan appeared in the doorway and grinned impishly at him before holding out Josh's cell phone. "It's Uncle Kev."

Josh accepted the phone rather weakly and offered a quiet greeting to the man on the other end. "_Ryan said you threw up."_

"Evidently I couldn't stomach the sight of desert." Josh groaned as the thought made his stomach twist again. "I must have caught something from work."

"_Don't worry about it." _He told him. "_Sorry I'm late but my meeting with the hospital ran over when I offered to help with a consultancy. I should be back in Metropolis tomorrow and I'll try to get back into Smallville for Tuesday. Can you get the Kent's to sign the forms and then courier them to Simon?"_

"Sure. See you Tuesday?" Josh asked.

"_Definitely."_ His Uncle promised. "_Do me a favour and hand me to Mr. or Mrs. Kent?"_

"Whatever." Josh chuckled. "Love you."

"_Love you to."_ As soon as his Uncle had spoken Josh passed the phone to Jonathan.

"He wants to talk to you." Josh tuned out their conversation as he went back to feeling sorry for himself. Clark appeared behind Ryan and passed the younger boy a slice of the cake. Josh took one look at the rich food before pulling himself up to throw up into the toilet again.

"Maybe we should take the cake into the other room. I don't think Josh wants any." Clark offered with a grin.

"But it's such a nice cake!" Ryan complained, his smirk clear in his words. Josh aimed a blind swipe at his legs before propping his head up on the wall.

"Boy's!" Jonathan reprimanded. "That's enough! Into the kitchen with both of you. Go help with the dishes."

Josh groaned out a thank you before wiping at his mouth again with the towel. "You Uncle asked if we'd keep you hear for the night and I have to agree that sending you and Ryan home on your own with you in this condition wouldn't be the best plan."

Josh looked over at him and gave him a shaky smile. "Thanks, I'd appreciate it. Ryan can't look after himself at the best of times."

Jonathan chuckled before helping Josh to stand and helped him into the front room and down onto the sofa where Josh lay out with his head on the arm. He shuttered his eyes feeling suddenly rather tired and blinked them open again only when he felt Martha sit beside him.

"Sorry, Mrs. Kent. I promise it wasn't your cooking." Josh told her.

"I know that, Josh. It would've taken more time but I'm sure my chocolate cake didn't help any." Martha chuckled and handed him a glass of water.

He took a gulp to wash away the taste and then drunk the rest of the glass feeling much better for it. "It did look very nice. Save me a piece?"

She chuckled but nodded. She left the room and five minutes later Ryan ran into the room with a bundle of pillows and blankets followed by Martha who had a small first aid bag with her. Josh forced himself up and fought down the wave of nausea that almost overran him. Ryan sat beside him with the pillows and blankets in his lap and Martha sat on the coffee table and unzipped the bag and pulled out the thermometer. Josh smiled at her and accepted the device though he knew it would show a small raise in temperature since he was feeling the cold air worse than he should at this time of year.

"I suppose you'd be best to tell me what you need." Martha gave him a complacent smile and Josh grinned back at her.

"It's probably just something I picked up at the hospital. If I can have a little of that paracetamol and some water that will lower the fever and some sleep will do me good." He felt rather foolish now after being so worried about his Uncle and accepted Martha's coddling for almost twenty minutes before Ryan helped tuck him in and then he and Clark sat with him watching TV for two hours before Josh fell asleep.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Tuesday Afternoon**

Josh was always among the last to clear a classroom, he didn't like people that much and being in the mad crush to be thirty second earlier to their next class, or in this case to the outside world, never seemed worth pushing through the crowds. Today was no exception even if he was looking forward to getting home and seeing his Uncle who should already be home. Ryan was going to go home with Clark while Josh did his two hour shift in the hospital and then Josh would pick him up, go home to collect his Uncle and then go into one of the small towns only restaurants for dinner.

Josh always had a strange curiosity about what his next house would be like. He hated moving but his Uncle always picked really nice houses in quiet, pleasant neighbourhoods even when they were moving to a city like Metropolis or San Francisco so he found himself liking the idea of a changed scenery. He shook his head as he walked to his Jeep, every time they were planning the move he focused only on the good things and never the bad. It made him delusional but at least he could handle the move that way.

He pulled into the Medical Centre's staff car parking and got out before locking his car. He had to wait for an Ambulance to pass by before he could enter through the door but then he headed for the changing rooms and then to the nurses station.

"Josh!" Anne bounced off of her chair and gave him a startling hug.

"Er?" He frowned passed her and at Michael who was laughing behind his hand. "What's up?"

"You're better!" Anne chirped.

"I know I've been off sick for a while but you're just a bit hyper." Josh gave her an amused look. It was his first day back after throwing up at the Kent Farm. Ryan had insisted he take the Monday off and Josh rarely worked the weekends anyway preferring to spend it with his family.

"I might have put too many sugars in her tea." Michael offered.

"Oh, you didn't!" Josh laughed outright before shaking his head and pushing the bouncy thirty-three year old into her chair. "What on the list?"

Anne put on a faked serious look as Josh leaned on the back of her chair. "Mrs. Donavan says that if you don't go up and play checkers with her she'll get up and come find you." Anne chuckled referring to the eighty-five year old on the third floor with a mild stroke who loved every moment that Josh spent with her. "Doctor Havermire says he could do with some help in his office if you have the chance later this week, oh and there a woman in Intensive Care down the corridor with a son who refuses to eat or sleep. He's been here for twenty hours already."

"Shouldn't he just fall asleep then?" Josh asked.

"Some children are just stubborn." Michael smirked at Josh and his meaning was clear. Josh sent him a less than amused expression.

"Tired and starved child, bored old lady or paperwork with Doctor Havermire?" Josh mused. "Could you tell Mrs. Donavan that I'll be up there soon?"

"Sure, Josh. What do you want me to tell Doctor Havermire?" Anne grinned.

"To hire a secretary?" Josh suggested impishly before accepting a room number from Michael and heading for the Intensive Care ward. The place was actually rather quiet even by Smallville's standards and the specialist nurses station was equally subdued. A plate of food sat on the edge of the counter and Josh stopped in front of the desk.

"Josh? You hear for the kid?" Lucy looked up. Josh nodded. "We've tried three different meals and every game we can think of but he refuses to do anything more than say hello to us."

"Is this food for him?" Josh eyed the fish fingers, chips and chocolate cake in amusement. They'd obviously gone all out in this last attempt.

"Yeah, we were just about to try again." Lucy told him. "I warn you though, he really doesn't like doctors or nurses. He kicked Doctor Hier in the shin."

Josh chuckled. "Don't worry, I wont let him bully you." He grinned before lifting the tray and heading for the third door down the corridor. He put the tray on the side as soon as he walked through the door before heading for the foot of the bed. It was part of his plan but also he needed to know the basics of what was wrong before he could help in anyway. According to the chart she'd fallen down the stairs and hit her head on the banister, she should have a full recovery but the boy had been near hysterical when he'd run downstairs to his neighbour and she'd called an ambulance.

A flash of movement caught his eye from one of the corners of the room when the chair had been pushed forwards. He'd seen the boy as soon as he'd entered but was waiting to see what he did. A head popped over the top of the chair and bright green eyes like his own stared out at him from under brown hair that fell in his eyes. Josh feigned ignorance and continued to look at the chart.

"You're not a doctor!" The boy told him. Josh ignored him in favour of the chart once again and a few moments later the boy ducked back under the chair and crawled out from between the legs. Josh lost sight of him as the kid weaved through the chairs in the room and round to Josh's side as he tried vainly to see what was on the chart. "What does that say?"

Josh had to force himself not to grin as he once again ignored the boy. The boy jumped slightly to try to see over Josh's arm but again he didn't move. "Who are you?" Josh did grin this time but turned his head towards the door to hide it. The boy obviously thought Josh was going to simply walk out without talking to him. "Come on mister! Who are you?"

Josh turned back to the boy with a half grin on his face and sighed. "Well I don't know if I should tell you."

"Why not?" The boy asked and put his hands on his hips like an adult would when arguing with a child.

"Because I don't know who you are." Josh told him.

"But I asked first!" The boy frowned. Josh hid his grin this time knowing that he'd gotten the boy hooked.

"How about I tell you my name and then you tell me yours?" Josh asked. "That way we're even."

The boy stared at Josh for a while but nodded. "You first!" He declared.

"Ok then." Josh grinned and crouched slightly so they were the same height. "I'm Joshua but if you're nice to me you can call me Josh."

"I'm Nate!" The boy grinned as if proud of his name.

"Well Nate. I heard you kicked Doctor Hier in the leg." The boy gaped for a second and glanced at his mother on the bed. "She's really upset because you were mean to her."

"I didn't mean to." Nate looked down. "She was tall."

Josh stopped himself from laughing and sat himself in a chair along the far wall. "How old are you, Nate?"

"I'm seven!" Nate announced with that same proud air. Josh tapped the seat beside him and Nate couldn't resist the temptation to sit in it. "Is Doctor Hier mad? Is she going to tell mom?"

"Oh." Josh sighed as if thinking. "I'm not sure. I'm sure she wont be if you were to tell her you were sorry."

"I _am_ sorry!" Nate told him almost jumping back up. "Mom says I shouldn't hurt people. She'll be really angry with me when she…. When she wakes up."

Josh heard the slight hitch and grabbed the boys hand as Nate jumped up and turned to face Josh. He didn't try to touch on the subject though since he knew Nate's type, he'd only withdraw again. "How about this then? We go find Doctor Hier and straighten all this out and then me and you can go have some fun upstairs."

"Upstairs?"

"Yup." Josh grinned. "There's a nice old lady on the top floor who wants to play checkers. Do you know how to play checkers?"

"No." Nate looked upset at the loss.

"Well you know what I think she'd love teaching you." Josh leaned in to whisper in his ear as if passing along a secret. "She's eighty-five you know."

"Eighty-five!" Nate gasped just like a seven year old who's just been told the world is round.

"But firsts things first we have to go find Doctor Hier." Josh stood imperiously.

Nate nodded shyly and Josh offered him his hand. Nate paused but took it and Josh led him to the door and out into the corridor. He led Nate to the nurses station with a grin on his face. Lucy looked surprised to see him with Nate in tow.

"Do you know where Doctor Heir is?" Josh asked with a wink that Nate couldn't see. Lucy turned her head away feigning thought to hide her answering grin before telling Josh she was in room eight. Josh thanked her and Nate muttered and thank you as well.

Doctor Heir was luckily just finishing with a patient and left the room just as Josh met her. She looked surprised to see him and then even more surprised when she saw Nate attached to his hand and half hidden behind him. Josh mouthed a quick plea about food to her which he was glad she seemed to understand.

"Doctor Heir, Nate has something he'd like to say to you." Josh started off to show her the rest of his on the spot plan. Doctor Heir gave him a small grin before crouching down. Josh stayed standing since Nate was clinging to his leg and he didn't want to rob him of his hiding place.

"What is it, Nate?"

"Sorry I kicked you." Nate muttered sheepishly. "I don't want you to be mad at me. Please don't be mad. Mom will tell me off if you're mad at me."

Doctor Heir glanced up at Josh with a small smile and Josh nodded. "Well, I have no reason to stay mad at you but my leg does hurt. How about you promise me something and I forget all about it?"

Nate was too caught up with getting forgiveness that he didn't see the trap. "I promise."

"Good, I want you to go with Josh here and get something to eat and then get some sleep." Nate went to speak but Doctor Heir overrode him. "But you promised, Nate, and besides don't you think your mom would be upset if you're all tired and hungry when she wakes up?"

"Yes." Nate said.

"So you promise you'll get some food and sleep?" Doctor Heir asked.

"But Josh told me I could learn checkers with an old lady on the top floor!" Nate gasped.

Doctor Heir almost laughed and Josh had to cover his own expression. "I don't see a problem doing all three. Do you Josh?" Doctor Heir stood up. Josh mouthed a thank you and she grinned backwards.

"I don't see why not but you'll have to eat everything, Nate." Nate nodded furiously and started pulling Josh back along the corridor.

"We're going to miss you around here, Josh." Doctor Heir muttered to him quietly. Josh sighed with a sad smile on his lips before following Nate back to him room. Nate ate all his food and then they spent an hour playing checkers with Mrs. Donavan until Nate was almost falling asleep on the woman's bed over the checkers board. Josh put the board away and Mrs. Donavan chuckled at him affectionately. He said goodbye to the woman before hefting Nate carefully into his arms as the boy drifted into sleep even as his arms when around Josh's shoulders and his cheek landed on Josh's shoulder. Josh took him down to his mother's room and placed him carefully on the bed beside his mother since she didn't have any tubes or IV's for the time being. He tucked him under a blanket and raised the side of the bed so he wouldn't tumble out in his sleep before backing out of the room.

He was just passing the main nurses station for his last fifteen minutes of his shift when Anne rushed out with a smile on his face. Josh sighed and motioned that he was running away but the woman shook her head furious. "It's Cyrus, Josh. He rolled onto his side twenty minutes ago."

Josh's eyes went wide in surprise. He always spent about half an hour a week or more with Cyrus just trying to coax him out of his mind without result but if he moved himself onto his side then he was starting to naturally make progress. Josh stayed in the hospital an extra half an hour to try to coax another reaction out of Cyrus but got nothing but a vague sense of healing from him. Josh returned to his car with a grin on his face.

He was just pulling out his keys when a wave of pain struck him like a sledge hammer. He collapsed to his knees and dry-heaved a few times before the wave vanished into nothing again. He knew that reaction though and he knew who it was from. His Uncle had been in pain.

He scrambled across the floor looking for his keys and ended up shredding the insides of his palm across the gravel pitted tarmac in his desperation. He knew he wasn't thinking calmly but he couldn't care less about that. He unlocked his car and jumped in panicking as he fumbled with the keys trying to get them into the ignition. The car started but he was too busy trying to find his phone inside his backpack to notice. Finally finding it he flipped open the top and the screen came on. He didn't know why he was so surprised to find nothing there but he was still disappointed in not finding the answer to all of his troubles plastered across the face of his phone.

He hit the speed dial for his uncle and held the phone up to his ears as he put the car in reverse and pulled out of the space. He stalled once as he got frustrated at the lack of answer but when he heard his Uncle's voice speaking monotonously on his answer machine message he flung the phone viciously into the back of the car. He let his head drop onto his steering wheel as despair washed over him. The police would never start a search on the basis that Josh had felt his Uncle in pain. For all Josh knew his Uncle had simply fallen down some stairs and knocked himself out. He might already be in hospital but his Uncle was supposed to be in Smallville by now.

This realisation had him scrambling for his phone again ignoring the fact that his bloody palms were leaving strips of blood over his phone. He called his house phone but the answer machine cut in after eight rings and he once again threw the phone onto the passenger seat.

"Get it together!" He snapped at his own reflection in the darkened front window. "You're overreacting. He's simply driving home and left his cell phone in his bag."

He chuckled derisively at his own image trying to convince himself that his words were true. If only he hadn't felt that pain but he had and he couldn't forget it that easily. He threw the engine back into life and tore out of the car park ignoring any speed restrictions as he tore through Smallville to his own house. It began to rain half way there but he ignored that as he jumped out of the still running car and bashed on the locked front door even though he knew that his Uncle's car wasn't in the driveway. He turned and slumped against the doorway letting his tears overcome him for the first time since feeling that pain.

He'd felt his Uncle's pain before, whenever the man seriously hurt himself, but for some reason he just felt this bout of pain all the way through into his heart and it lingered there like a storm cloud. He wiped at his face before remembering where he should have been over an hour ago. He forced himself to his knees and got back into his car. He glanced at his phone to see a missed call but simply threw the phone back onto the seat as he realised that it was Ryan and not his Uncle.

The Kent farm was almost dark when he pulled into the driveway that led to the back of the house. The barn light gave him enough light to park with and he sat in the car as the engine cooled down trying to gather his wits and straighten himself out. It was a very wet and drained looking Josh that finally got out of the car and started to make his way over to the house.

The kitchen light was on so he knocked lightly on the door and Jonathan appeared within seconds. "Josh! You're soaked through, get in here." He smiled warmly and opened the outer door to let Josh walk in dripping all the way. It wasn't until he was in the light of the room though that the two occupants of the room saw his appearance.

"Josh! What happened? Did something happen at work?" Josh stared at her in confusion trying to work out what she had meant. It seemed so long since he had left Cyrus at the hospital but in truth only just more than an hour had gone passed. "Ryan tried to call you."

"I know." Josh muttered. "I was sitting in the rain."

"Well I'm not sure that was a good way to spend an hour." Jonathan chuckled but Josh just frowned at the joke not seeing it for what it was.

"I…" Josh paused and looked around fully coming into the realisation of where he was. He patted his pockets for his phone but all he did was leave bloody stains on his trousers. "Ryan phoned me."

"Josh, honey." Martha stopped in front of him and took his shaking hands in her own and turned them up to the light. "What happened to you?"

"I don't remember." Josh frowned at his hands for a moment before shaking his head. "I dropped my keys." A dim part of his mind told him that he was suffering from shock and that he was very lucky to have even reached the Farm safely but the rest of him didn't care about that opinion.

"Jonathan, bandages and a blanket." He heard her tell her husband who left the room for a brief time as Josh was steered onto a stool at the counter. A wet towel touched his right hand and he jumped in surprise before looking at Martha square in the face for the first time since arriving.

"Where Uncle Kev?"

"I thought you were meeting him at home, Josh." Martha frowned.

"He wasn't there. I just looked but his cars not in the drive and its always in the drive when he's there." Josh rambled. "He doesn't like driving around Smallville. He's says it's a nice break from Metropolis. He likes it here and he doesn't want to move. It my fault he has to move."

"It's ok sweetie." Martha dabbed at his hands and he flinched as grit was slowly dislodged from his skin. "Weren't you going to pick up Ryan first and then head home?"

Josh stared at her. "But he's not there. I hurt and then I went home to find him. I have to make sure he's safe?"

"You hurt?" Martha frowned. "Do you mean your hands? Why didn't you go into the hospital?"

"Why? I'm not hurt." Josh frowned at her before looking down at his hands and at the blood there even as Martha continued to wipe it off. "What happened to my hands?"

He heard Martha sigh as Jonathan who had just wrapped a blanket around Josh headed for the door. Josh heard him open it and yell for Clark and Ryan before leaving the door open.

Josh laid his head on one of his arms letting Martha clean his hands with fresh water as he slowly calmed his growing panic putting his memories of the last hour back into the correct order. He was still a confused mess when Ryan and Clark burst through the door. Martha patted one of his hands as she finished tying a bandage and Ryan saw Josh's state.

"What happened?" He demanded. "Why didn't you answer my call?"

Josh snapped up his head showing confused eyes. "What call?"

"I called you twice." Ryan told him.

"No you didn't, you called me once. I was sitting on the porch at home." Josh told him with a frown.

"But you just asked me what call!" Ryan frowned at him before glancing at Martha who was motioning him for silence.

"Ryan, dear. He's in shock." Martha told him and ran a hand through Josh's soaked hair making it stand up on end for a moment before lying in even more random directions. Josh blinked at her but his eyes cleared ever so slightly.

"Ryan?" Josh looked around for his brother. "What happened? Why aren't you at home?"

"You were supposed to pick me up and then we were going for dinner with Uncle Kev." Ryan told him calmly though that barely hid the worry in his voice. "He's probably at home waiting for us."

"No he isn't. I was just there."

"Why did you go there first?" Martha asked seeing this as a possible way to get answers.

"Because I hurt myself when I dropped my keys?" Josh asked her glancing at his left hand as she tied a bandage around it.

"No, sweetie, you said you dropped your keys because you hurt yourself." Martha told him.

Clark sat opposite him and his dad lifted the bloodied towels off the table and dumped them in the sink to sort out later. Josh watched all of this before turning and frowning at Martha. "No I didn't."

"You didn't what?" Martha frowned. "Hurt yourself?"

"No. I didn't say that." Josh told her as if it was obvious. "I said I dropped them because I hurt."

"Wait!" Ryan jumped up from his seat as Martha started to question him further. "You hurt. Who for?"

"What?" Clark frowned.

"Josh, look at me." Ryan was standing beside him and Josh turned in his seat to look at his little brother. "Who was it?"

"Who was what?" Josh frowned and blinked to clear his head.

"It wasn't me and you cant feel Mrs. Kent anymore so who else?" Ryan ask ignoring the other confused looks.

Josh felt his shock slide away and his head span as he remembered the reason for his state. "Uncle Kev?" Josh flipped his seat in his haste to stand, he patted his pockets again looking for his phone before looking around in desperation. "Where's a phone? I need a phone!"

Ryan handed over his phone and Josh fumbled with the keys almost dropping his phone in his haste to dial in his Uncles' number. It rang exactly eight times before going on to his answer phone. "I can't feel him anymore, Ry."

"That means he's not hurting." Ryan assured him and guided him back onto the chair. Josh stared at his hands as he felt his shock start to creep back over him.

"I can't lose him, Ry." Josh whispered but Ryan just hugged him softly before turning to the others.

"If Josh uses enough of his powers on someone then he can sense if they get hurt no matter how far away they are." Ryan explained. "People like me and Mrs. Kent are the most obvious because of the major healing he's done to us but other's like Uncle Kev build up until he can feel them."

"So if he felt it then you Uncle must have been hurt?" Clark asked as he caught onto the idea.

"I have to go to Metropolis." Josh tried to stand up but felt Ryan trying to stop him. Josh forced him away but stronger hands settled on his shoulders and he was pushed back onto his stool by Jonathan. Josh sagged knowing that he wasn't in any state to drive three hours into Metropolis let alone search the city for his Uncle in the middle of the night.

"You can stay here tonight, Josh." Jonathan told him quietly before directing his voice elsewhere. Josh lost himself to his own thoughts. He'd panicked badly and he knew it. He also knew that he was still suffering from shock like he normally did after feeling somebody else's pain. He sat at the table with his head in the crook on his arm and even tried to eat the sandwich that Martha put in front of him and then was led into the front room and placed under a blanket.

He stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours but could have been minutes and ignored Ryan as the younger boy sat on the floor in front of the sofa and grabbed Josh's hand tightly in his own. Josh ignored both other boy's as they came in to watch some TV and it wasn't until half way through the night that he sat up and drew his knees to him and cried in the darkness of the room.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Saturday**

Josh had refused to leave the Kent Farm on Wednesday and in the evening they had called the Sheriff to report his Uncle missing. They had called everybody that Josh could ever remember seeing in Metropolis but nobody had seen his Uncle. The hospital reported that he had left the hospital late on Tuesday afternoon but that his car was still there. His time of departure matched the time that Josh had felt his pain and Josh could only guess that somebody had jumped his Uncle in the hospital car park though the police were sceptical about that since they couldn't picture somebody being able to carry out a kidnapping in so public a place as Metropolis Central Hospital.

As soon as he had heard that Josh had started getting really worried. He knew he was probably over reacting, or at least he hoped so, but he had packed a bag into the trunk of his car with the few things he'd need if he had to run. His sketchbook and Book of Sorcery went in as well as his wallet and a few changes of clothes but he would leave most of their possession behind if he had to run. He'd refused to talk to Ryan about the probably cause but his younger brother was smart and knew what might be happening.

It happened at exactly twenty-two minutes past one in the afternoon on Saturday. He was at the hospital despite his ragged appearance trying to get his troubles out of his mind. Everybody in Smallville knew that his Uncle had disappeared and the hospital had a strange air to it. The nurses had all been ready to say goodbye to him when he moved away but they didn't know what would happen now unless Josh's Uncle reappeared.

Any hope of that vanished as soon as he saw Sheriff Adams and one of her deputies walk into the hospital and look straight at him. He had thought that the death of Liz Marati had been the worst moment of his life but he had been young then and it was nothing compared to the feelings that went through him as he saw the sad look on Sheriff Adams' face as she told him the words that he had never wanted to hear. That his Uncle's body had been found.

He collapsed back against the Nurses Station's counter and found himself surrounded in an instant as the station came to a grinding halt. Michael was at his shoulder in an instant and he vaguely noticed Cassandra run off down the corridor.

"His body is still in police custody and they've yet to declare a cause of death." Sheriff Adam's told him with regret plain in her voice. "I'm truly sorry, Mr. Ackervey. Your Uncle was a good man."

Josh tore his eyes away from her as he felt something twist inside him. Something that was a part of himself but new all the same. He heard a low throbbing in his ears and caught a glimpse of scales, of sharp sabre like teeth and a snake like body. He blinked his eyes and found that the flash of the unknown creature had soothes him. "Thank you, Sheriff." Josh told her in a tight voice.

"You're the first person we've told, Mr. Ackervey. Did you want us to come with you to talk to your brother?"

Josh did lose it that time. Ryan had lost so much and Josh knew he'd have to be there for Ryan but at the same time he knew that he couldn't still be in Smallville that night. "No." Josh told her. "I'll tell him myself."

"Very well, Mr. Ackervey." The sheriff departed and Josh shuddered and lost any strength left in his legs. Michael caught him without comment and more or less carried him into the closest empty room. Josh sagged onto the bed and felt Michael hug him.

"Josh. I'm so sorry. You don't deserve this to happen to you." Michael muttered in his ear just as the door open and a distressed looking Anne and a pale Cassandra dashed into the room. Anne swept him up into a hug barely leaving Michael enough time to release him. Cassandra kissed him on the cheek in consolation. He sat like that letting his tears flow knowing that he didn't want to stop them. It was a sign of honour towards his Uncle who had sacrificed his own life for Josh without a backwards glance.

"He gave up everything to keep me safe." Josh sobbed telling them the truth. "He saved me from my Aunt and Uncle. He gave up everything to give me a life away from _them_ and now they've found him and killed him. It's my fault."

To their credit they just absorbed their words having already worked out what his two most prominent scars were from and they didn't ask who the _them_ was. Josh just let himself be held by Michael or Anne until he knew he had to get to Ryan. He forced himself up and Michael was at his side.

"I'm driving you." Michael declared in a tone that wouldn't allow any argument. He grabbed Josh's car keys from him and helped him out of the hospital passed the gathering doctors and nurses who had already heard that something was wrong. Josh ignored them but didn't try to hide his tears. The journey to the Kent Farm where Josh and Ryan had stayed for most of the week went in silence except for the occasion gesture of consolation from Michael and Josh spent the time forcing his own pain and sadness behind thick walls that he knew wouldn't withstand it for long. He only needed long enough to tell Ryan but that in itself would be his undoing.

The Farm had a silent air to it but Josh felt that it was probably more his own mood then the farm itself. Michael knocked on the back door and Martha appeared instantly. She didn't recognised Michael but noticed Josh at his side and opened the door. "Josh?" She spent a second looking at him before her hand flew up to her mouth and she gasped. She looked at Michael who simply nodded to confirm her fears.

She gathered Josh up in her arms but Josh held onto his emotions and pulled away. "I need to talk to Ryan."

"Oh god." Martha looked pale. "He's in the front room with Clark."

"Give me a few minutes to tell him?" Josh asked her. She nodded and Josh walked through the kitchen with a rigid back and a blank look. Clark and Ryan were playing checkers and Clark looked up as Josh walked into the room. He frowned at Josh and stood effectively blocking off Ryan's view of Josh. Josh shook his head at the taller boy and motioned for him to leave. Clark gave him a sad look at the blood drained from his face but he moved to leave.

Josh made his way to the sofa behind where Ryan was sitting as the boy watched him. Josh tugged at Ryan's hair and gently coaxed him up onto the sofa. "Ry, I don't know how to say this." Ryan tensed up and Josh grabbed at his hands before his younger brother could find anything to do with them. He gripped them tightly. "They found Uncle Kev's body yesterday."

Ryan choked and opened his mouth a few times. Josh imagined that his own reaction had been more or less the same. "I'm sorry, Ry."

"Sorry!" Ryan almost screamed in surprise. "It's not your fault!"

Josh shuttered his eyes for a second not wanting to start an argument now. It was his fault and he knew it. "It's _them_, Ry." Ryan swallowed thickly and opened his mouth to ask how Josh knew. Josh beat him to it. "They haven't been able to find a cause of death yet and I didn't feel anything else from him. He didn't feel a thing."

Ryan sagged and collapsed forwards into Josh. Josh brought his arms around the smaller boy and tipped them both to lean against the back of the sofa. He repositioned himself so that Ryan could lie his head on Josh's shoulder and Josh just held the sobbing boy as he himself cried into Ryan's hair.

"You're going to leave aren't you." Ryan barely lifted his head.

"Ry, I have to." Josh had trouble retaining his speech.

"I know. You have to go." Ryan surprised him at the forcefulness of his words. "I don't want you to leave but I don't want to lose you like we've lost Uncle Kev. You have to out of here before they find you."

"I'll need to leave before the funeral." Josh kissed Ryan on the top of his head and Ryan tightened his grip around his older brother's torso. "Will you be alright with the Kents?"

"They'll protect me." Ryan told him. "Just…I can't lose you too. Not now, not ever."

"I know. I can't risk losing you either, Ry." Josh squeezed him tightly and then pulled back to look him straight into the eye. "Don't go back to the house until you know for sure that they've left and don't ever go alone. Don't do anything to suggest you know me."

"Where are you going to go?" Ryan asked.

"I don't know yet. I'll find Bart to start with. They can't follow him so I'll make sure he lets you know how I am." Josh promised.

"You'll come back right?" Ryan asked.

"Once I know I can defend myself and that I wont risk you as well." Josh told him and Ryan's eyes narrowed slightly as he caught the undercurrent to the words.

"You blame yourself don't you!" Ryan hissed.

"Ry, we'd be in Grandview and safe if I hadn't forced him to stay. We should have been gone by now but I convinced him to stay even though I knew the risk." Josh told him.

"You wanted to be happy!" Ryan argued. "There's nothing wrong with that!"

"I know, Ry. But I can't ever forgive myself for it either." Josh sighed and sagged into his brother again. He caught his eye. "I'll always love you, Ry. Don't ever forget that."

"Josh. I couldn't ever forget that." Ryan's tears flowed once more and he hugged Josh as if he was the only thing keeping him alive and sane. "I love you too."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two hours later**

Josh knew that Jonathan was watching him regretfully but he just pulled his bag out of the back and dumped it on the floor by the side of the road. He stretched and turned to look at Jonathan as the man sighed and tried to speak. Josh glanced up the road but the Greyhound bus hadn't yet appeared along the long road.

"I know what you're going to say. That I shouldn't run, I should stand my ground and stay here in Smallville." Josh sighed cutting the man off. "It's a noble idea but I can't stand my ground against these people. Not yet."

"What's so bad about them?" Jonathan asked.

"Mr. Kent. You wouldn't understand." Josh sighed and held his gaze to put across the point. "Listen, they killed my Uncle without laying a hand on him just because they want to get to me. I wont let that happen to Ryan if I can help it."

"I understand that." Jonathan sighed. "But how do you know it was even them?"

"I just do." Josh sighed. "They've always tried to follow us, not always for the same reason but they all wanted the same thing. Me with them and my Uncle dead. Now, because of me they have one of those things and I refuse to just hand over the second without a fight."

Something inside him strengthened in agreement of his words and for a moment he felt invincible but the feeling faded even as he got another flash of scales, teeth and a snake. This time though he felt as if water was flowing down his back. He shivered.

"Josh, it wasn't your fault." Jonathan almost snapped. "We heard you talking to Ryan about it and there is nothing you could have done."

"No! It's because I didn't do anything that it happened. Don't you see?" Josh glared and turned his back on Jonathan. "We never stay much longer than a month and never for longer than a year. The first time I convince Uncle Kev to stay even three weeks beyond that deadline he gets killed."

"Josh." Jonathan stepped up to Josh but Josh just took a step to the side to avoid his comfort. He didn't deserve it.

"He gave in so I could have a little bit more comfort for a change." Josh muttered. "I wont forgive myself for that after everything he did for me."

"He did it because he loved you." Jonathan told him. "Just as Martha and I would do everything in our power to make Clark happy."

"He saved me. He took me away from the bastard that did this to me." Josh rounded on the man and waved at his neck scar. "He saved my life and gave up everything."

"Yes he did." Jonathan surprised him by agreeing. "He did it because you were worth it. Martha and I have only known you for less than a year but we can see who you are and you Uncle knew what he was sacrificing."

Josh stared at the man and wiped at his eyes briefly, forcing his clam back up. "I want you to look after Ryan."

"Of course." Jonathan told him. "We'll protect him and keep him happy until you come back."

"I don't know how long I'll be gone." Josh warned.

"It doesn't matter if you are gone for two days or two years. Ryan wont come to any harm if we can help it." Jonathan promised confidently.

"There's an envelope on the passenger seat of my car." Josh told him referring to his Jeep sitting snugly in the corner beside the Kent Barn. He handed him the keys knowing that the man would give them to Ryan when he was old enough to drive. "It's a custody transfer for Ryan. It'll give you and Mrs. Kent partial custody when I'm around but full custody if I can't be contacted. I want you both to sign it as soon as possible and then call Simon. His number is in the envelope."

"Who's Simon?" Jonathan asked.

"My lawyer. He'll deal with anything that comes up to do with Ryan." Josh assured him. "I want you to promise me something though."

"What?" Jonathan asked him.

"I want you to make sure to keep an eye on the Luthors around Ryan." Josh told them.

"What about the restraining order?" Jonathan frowned.

"It wont stop them for long if they want to get through it. It's based on my history with them not Ryan's." Josh told him before deciding to give him more regardless of his own morals. "I witnessed Lex do something that his father decided he didn't want to risk getting out. When I refused to accept a 'cash settlement' he tried to have Uncle Kev convicted of kidnapping and abuse to try to seize custody of me through the LuthorCorp foundation."

"What happened?"

Josh snorted derisively. "They didn't know what they got themselves into. I'm not as wealthy as them but I'm not poor either. Plus I have the unwavering loyalty and compassion of the best lawyer in the West." Josh shook his head. "It was a long fight but far more painful for them then for us."

"What does this have to do with Ryan?" Jonathan asked as Josh spied the bus approaching.

"Lex Luthor and his father will stop at nothing to get hold of Ryan if they find out what Ryan could do." Josh told him.

"I'll keep an eye on them." Jonathan promised. Josh stared at him until he relented. "I promise."

"Good." Josh nodded. "Look, Mr. Kent. I know I come across as a moody, overly snappish git but I have to be like this to stay sane. I didn't have a young childhood like Clark but I promise you one thing. Right now, there is nothing more important to me than Ryan and his health. I know he hates to see me leave and I hate to have to go but his health comes first. There isn't anything I wouldn't do to keep him safe."

"We all know that." Jonathan offered him a small smile.

Josh nodded and stepped forwards to shake the man's hand as the Greyhound pulled to a stop and the driver got out to stow Josh's bag in the under compartment. "You're a good man, Mr. Kent. You remind me of my Uncle." Josh shuttered his eyes for a moment before bracing himself up. He dug into his back pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. On it was one of the first drawings that he had done for his Uncle but that his Uncle had insisted on Josh carrying. It was a simple one done when he was seven of Josh and his Uncle side by side as his Uncle messed with his hair as they walked along on a beach. Now was the right time to part with it. "Can you…" Josh choked and looked up at Jonathan with an expression of pain. "Could you make sure he's holding this when they bury him?"

"Josh." Jonathan looked stricken but slowly took the paper from his hands. "I promise. I'll put it in his hand myself."

"Thank you, Mr. Kent. For everything."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Josh hadn't been too worried about using his Cell phone or travelling registered since the Wizards were notoriously bad at following trails using technology. The idea of a Wizard tracking him with his Cell phone was laughable. He had called two people to announce his departure hoping to speak to either of them and hope they talked to each other. Bart had been well aware that his Uncle had vanished and had even been searching Metropolis for him and even though Josh hadn't told him on the message he had left that his Uncle's body had been found he knew that it wouldn't take Bart long to join the dots and come to that conclusion.

He hadn't been able to get hold of Arthur but that wasn't surprising since he never checked his phone. He'd leave it to Bart to try to contact him but would hold his breath. When Josh got off the bus in a small coastal town on the west coast he had immediately been drawn towards the beaches and had found himself a small closed of beach between to beachheads. He didn't know why he was out here but it felt calmer here. He was vaguely drawing a picture of a large snake in the sand an hour after arriving when his phone rang.

He pulled it out and saw Bart's name on the screen. He flipped it open. "Hey."

"Love, where are you?"

"Hmm…" He'd already told him in the message which town he was heading for so Bart must mean his actual location. "On a beach about a mile south of the town."

The connection died in his hands and Josh snapped it closed knowing that Bart always lost signal when he was running to fast. Sand flew up to his face before he had managed to put his phone away and he spluttered slightly in irritation. "Next time slow down before getting to me." Josh sniped good naturedly though it didn't go along way to covering his appearance. He knew that he had cried silently the entire ten hour coach trip feigning sleep the entire time to excuse him for covering his head with his coat and he'd been miserable ever since he arrived.

His sharp comments didn't do anything to hide his mood from Bart and the other boy collapsed onto the sand next to him rather ungracefully. "Did they…?" He stuttered off trying to find the right words.

Josh drew in a deep breath and turned to look at Bart straight on for the first time. He nodded. "They found his body the day before yesterday. The sheriff showed up yesterday at work." Josh sighed. "Not a scratch on him. Just dead."

"Oh." Bart opened his mouth but closed it rather than pointing out the obvious Wizarding connection.

"I told Ry yesterday before I got on the bus." Josh told Bart.

"How'd he take it?" Bart frowned.

"About as well as I did." Josh told him honestly. "I felt his pain on Tuesday and tore up my hands and sat in the rain for half an hour before having a panic attack at the Kent farm."

Bart flinched. "Are you…?" He stopped and looked down. "I mean how…?"

Josh leaned sideways onto Bart's shoulder and the other boy draped an arm around him. Josh turned and buried his head into Bart's chest as he let himself cry again. He felt himself being lowered backwards onto the sand and turned to curl up against his boyfriend.

"I'll always be here for you and you have my undivided attention for as long as you want it." Bart whispered in his ear. "Arthur will be here soon. I was with him in San Francisco when you called then I met him in the town."

Josh nuzzled up to Bart's neck and kissed it lightly. "Thanks."

"It's no problem, Josh. Your Uncle was always great to me. Always wanted me to move in with you." Bart choked slightly and Josh raised his head to see the other boy had tears running down the sides of his face as he cried too. Josh kissed him on the cheek and lay his own cheek against Bart's. "You don't have to worry about me ever forgetting him."

"I know you wont. I wont either." Josh sighed finally feeling freed from the overwhelming grief that had gripped him since he had known something was wrong on Tuesday. "Bart?"

"Hmm?" Bart picked up his head as Josh leaned back away from him.

"Do you think he'd blame me?"

"Blame you!?" Bart shot up in shock and horror at the words. "How could he ever blame you?"

"I know he didn't mind sacrificing everything to give me a life and I don't mean that." Josh assured knowing what Bart would automatically be thinking. "I convinced him to stay after Halloween. We would have been in Grandview when the attack came and then in San Francisco at Christmas. They wouldn't have been able to find us. I made Uncle Kev stay because I was tired of moving."

"And you think that your Uncle wouldn't have wanted to stay either?" Bart asked. "He loved making you happy and would have given you everything to do that and let me tell you something; there is no way in hell that your Uncle would ever blame you for what happened. He loved you unconditionally."

"But I chose this course. I knew that staying was risky but I thought they'd come for me first not simply kill him to get to me." Josh sighed and hugged his knees to him. "I don't know if I can forgive myself. I killed him."

Josh found his head being yanked to the side almost painfully. "I know its hard to forgive yourself. I might not be able to in your place." Bart told him staring deep into his eyes. "But don't ever think that you caused his death!"

"Bart?" Josh shuttered his eyes for a few moments before almost whispering. "I'm scared."

Bart clung to Josh as if he was about to vanish. "I know, I know, but I'm here for you and you have to be strong for Ryan."

Josh nodded resolutely and pulled back before kissing Bart soundly on the lips. "I can do it." Bart smiled at him.

Josh stood and was suddenly confronted by the drawing of the snake he'd made in the sands. Bart stopped beside him as he saw the same image. "Bart? I think I can do it."

"Do what?" Bart looked worried when Josh glanced at him.

"I been getting flashes over the last few days. I keep picturing this snake and I can almost feel it's body as my own and its emotions react to my own." Josh explained.

"Your Animagus form?" Bart asked him.

"I think so but I don't know why I felt drawn to here." Josh sighed wondering why a snake had drawn him to the water. They were interrupted from further analysis when they heard a loud splash at the edge of the water and Arthur appeared from the water. He trotted over spraying water in every direction and luckily didn't step on the drawing. His smile of greeting vanished in an instant when he saw both of their tear streaked faces.

"Josh's Uncle was killed." Bart told him simply before he could ask outright. Arthur flicked his hands slightly and held them out in offering and Josh stepped over his own drawing and accepted the offer of a hug regardless of Arthur's soaked state. Strong arms gripped him tightly and he let his weight fall against the older boy even as Bart's form snuggled into his back and his arms came around him as well. He felt safe here and simply lost himself in the protection and caring of the other two boys even if their love was for different reasons.

"What's that?" Arthur asked as Josh and Bart pulled away and he saw the drawing in the sand.

"I don't know. Me." Josh told him simply.

"Huh?" Arthur frowned at him in confusion. "You?"

"Hmm." Was Josh's intelligent reply.

"Well it's a Leviathan." Arthur told him simply.

"As in the mythical snake thing?" Bart asked in confusion. Arthur nodded. "How do you know that?"

"Come on." Arthur shook his head at the two. "I'm obsessed with the sea and the Leviathan was supposed to be the King of the Seas."

"There's a side of me you don't know Arthur." Josh decided to come clean. "I'm not just a healer. I can do magic as well."

"Magic?" Arthur frowned.

Josh turned to him squarely and with barely a thought he raised his fist and the green light danced into being above his skin. It seemed to attract complete attention from the other two boys and he reabsorbed it so he could get a reaction. "Right…Magic." Arthur grunted never one to be taken by surprise by anything. He did have gills after all.

"That's all I can do so far." Josh admitted. "The first thing you learn it controlling the magic like I just did and the second suggested step is become your inner animal and I've been trying for over two months without any success."

"And this is it?" Arthur looked shocked at the idea of Josh turning into a Leviathan. "Well it is supposed to be a magical creature."

"And you can talk to snakes." Bart added in helpfully getting a strange look from Arthur who took this in his stride as well.

"I've been getting flashes of this thing in my head ever since I got the news about…" he trailed off and Arthur nodded to show he understood. Josh continued. "And I felt drawn to this place and the water."

"Maybe if you go in the water it'll help." Arthur suggested.

"Do you know anything about them first?" Josh asked.

Arthur frowned for a moment before shrugging. "All I know is what I read as a kid. They commanded every sea-dweller and were supposed to be friends to the me people." Arthur sighed. "According to one book they could grow to two hundred metres long and five metres wide and swim so fast they were blurs but that last bit might be just speculation though if they are anything like I am I don't see why not."

"How do they breathe?" Josh asked.

"Gills I think." Arthur frowned. "There's never been any sighting so that makes sense if there are any out there but maybe the Lochness monster is a Leviathan? Or a cousin or something."

"Maybe you should give it a go, Josh." Bart suggested.

Josh looked out at the water and felt a deep up welling of emotion to get to the water and nearly staggered under the onslaught. He nodded resolutely. "What about your clothes?" Arthur asked suddenly eyeing Josh's combats, trainers and loose t-shirt.

"The book said you change with them." Bart put in.

"But I don't want to soak all my clothes." Josh frowned and shucked off his trainers and lifted his shirt over his head. He hesitated at his sweatband not wanting to creep Arthur out. Arthur nodded at him reassuringly and Josh slipped it off. Arthur looked at him steadily for a moment and gave him a small smile. Josh decided to keep his modesty by leaving his combats on but put his trainers, socks, shirt and band into his bag that sat some ways up the beach.

"Bart?" Arthur turned to his boyfriend. "There's an island about two miles out just around the headland." He pointed out that way. "If this works then take his stuff out there. It's not inhabited and we can stay there for the night."

Bart nodded and stepped forwards until he was in front of Josh. He ran his hands up Josh's bare chest and place his hands on his shoulders. "Be careful and good luck." Bart told him seriously. "I love you."

Josh pecked him on the lips and nodded. "I love you to. I'll see you later."

Every moment he delayed the presence became stronger and he didn't have to worry about concentrating on the meditation lessons the book had suggested and as soon as his feet hit the water he felt his magic react. It filled every part of his body and he glanced at his green glowing hands and chest in surprise before his vision blurred for a moment. His body shifted shape become a vague blur before it took on a snake like appearance. It wasn't painful but more uncomfortable than anything else. His shape grew quickly and he found himself twenty metres away from the shore as his tail finally cleared the sand and he twisted his body to look out the water.

He felt pleasure bubble up inside him and lazily twisted a couple of coils in the water underneath him to stop himself from being driven towards the beach. Every movement of his thousands of vertebrate felt instinctual, like he had been doing it for his own life. His eyes could see through the water as if it was glass and he could hear the sounds of every fish, mammal and creature in the water within a mile though it didn't cause him any discomfort. The water seemed to flow around him more than his form pushed through it and the slightest movement of his powerful muscles sent him moving. He knew then that every Arthur had said about him was true. He was the King of the Oceans.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	12. Freedom

Outsiders

Chapter 12; Freedom

**Off the west coast**

Joshua couldn't believe the feelings welling up inside of him. He forgot everything about the world outside of the seas. There was just the water around him, the dolphins that swam up to play with him. Circling his coiling length and rubbing playfully against his sides. He slowed his movements to stay with them since the faster he willed himself to swim the faster he actually went. He didn't feel the water passing his sides beyond there being a slight refreshing flow over his scales. The water in front of his snout seemed to flow away from him lessening the water resistance and allowing his great coils to speed him through the water faster than even the fastest of speed boats.

He was enjoying the sensation when something streaked passed his head and flicked him on the side of the head. He coiled his great length and darted his head out to try to catch it but the form flickered away. He instinctively reached out with his mind to talk to it as he had the dolphins but met a strangely complex mind that he hide from without thinking. It was back before he could think about it and this time it paused in front of him. Unnatural limbs waving through the water held it in place. It's lack of a tail confused him and he pushed forwards through the water slowly even as the water rippled around him dragging the strangely shaped creature towards him.

Pain welled up inside him as he realised he knew this creature. It was human and it didn't belong here. To hide from the sudden pain that seemed to stem from humans he lashed out faster than a viper but the human dodged to the side with a shocked look on his face. That look triggered something in him and he knew the human's name. Arthur. There was another couple of names too, Bart and Ryan. Those human's didn't cause him pain. He slowly reached out through the water and brushed the side of his head against the human again who relaxed.

Then pain welled inside him again and the water rippled around him. Rip tides swelled around him and the human in front of him struggled to stay in place. '_Josh!'_ The voice swelled through his mind being transmitted through the water and picked up across his scales just like the dolphin's thoughts had been. '_Stop this!'_

Josh came back to his senses and his memories smashed back into him. '_Uncle Kev?'_ He thought out and he saw Arthur flinch as his thought smashed into him. '_AC!'_ Josh directed at his friend using his nickname. '_I need Bart.'_

'_Follow me.'_ Arthur told him and began swimming north speeding up to a pace that Josh found easy to follow. He'd been freed from his emotional pain and feelings of loss by his new form but nothing could fill the void that gaped within him. His saviour was dead and Josh felt empty inside. His transformation had made all of that clear. He didn't feel like he had all that much left to live for.

Arthur led him up the coast back the way they'd already swam until they suddenly came up to an island about three miles from the beach they'd started at. Josh forced his form up onto the steep beach and found it just as easy to slither across the ground as other snakes. He recognised Bart standing jovially at the top of the beach under a copse of trees and started to transform back into his human self. He had to struggle against his own instincts, new as they were, that wanted to stay in this form, a form where emotions meant much less than they did to humans but another part of him wanted to be with Bart and that meant being human again.

"Bart!" Arthur yelled across the sand as soon as he pulled himself from the ocean around them. Bart paused before rushing towards them just as Josh regained his human form and instantly collapsed to his knees with a strangled cry.

"Josh?" Bart knelt in the sand in front of him and reached out with shaking hands. "Did something go wrong?"

"I think he got lost in his instincts. He was enjoying himself and I let him for a few hours but then we needed to meet up with you so I got his attention." Arthur sounded apologetic and Josh looked up at him with tears in his eyes.

"I forgot everything for a while but then everything came flooding back." He managed to sob out before dropping his head down. He felt Bart wrap him up in his arms and crush his head against his chest. "I feel empty."

"Shhh." Bart soothed him running his hands up and down his back to calm him. Josh fell into him unable to hold himself up as once again he let out his emotions. This time though, there was a new one. The feeling that he'd let Ryan down, promised to always be there for him and then left him only hours after telling him their Uncle was dead.

"I'm a monster." Josh whispered after heavens knew how long. He got a startled jerk from Bart.

"What?" Bart asked him as he nuzzled the side of Josh's head. They'd fallen onto the sand but Bart was still holding him up.

"I'm a monster." Josh gasped as he began to shake. "I just abandoned Ry. He's grieving and I just left him behind."

"Oh, Josh." Bart sighed. "You had to and Ryan knows it. If you'd stayed there you could have been found and then he'd have to deal with losing both of you. You did the right thing. You can train up and go back fighting."

"I…" Josh paused not knowing what he had to say. He felt drained far beyond anything he had even known. His Uncle had been the only thing that was permanent in his life. Ryan was so new to his life sometimes he woke up wondering whether he had just been a dream and Bart was so in and out of his life sometimes Josh thought he'd vanish into thin air. His Uncle though, he was always in his life, even if he was in Metropolis for six days a week. He was always just a phone call away.

"What's got you so bothered?" Bart asked him. "You know Ryan loves you."

"He'll feel abandoned and I promised I'd never leave him." Josh sobbed burying his face into the side of his boyfriend's neck trying to blot out the rest of the world. He could feel himself trembling and half wondered if he was simply in shock.

He felt a light weight settle over him as a blanket was placed over his shoulders and then Bart was leaning backwards. Josh scrambled for purchase so he didn't lose contact and burrowed into Bart's chest. He heard Arthur sigh as he lay on the ground beside them and felt his larger hand grip one of his own and squeeze it tightly.

"He wont feel abandoned. I'll visit him." Bart promised. "You can write letters or something and I can take them to him."

"Hey, Bart's puting himself out there!" Arthur chuckled and Josh couldn't help but laugh slightly too. They lay there like that as the sun closed on the horizon and by the time Josh lifted his head to look around him it was close to sunset. His eyes were wet from crying and if it wasn't for the blanket he'd had in his bag that Arthur had obviously found he would have been rather cold too.

"You hungry?" Bart asked him softly looking at him with affection and concern all in one gaze. Josh shook his head not wanting to even think about eating. Bart saw his hesitance and narrowed his eyes. "When was the last time you ate?"

"I don't remember." Josh sighed knowing it was better to not lie to his boyfriend.

"It was before you found out wasn't it?" Bart frowned. "Which was too long ago."

"I didn't think about it." Josh sagged back onto Bart's chest and Bart's arms came back around him.

"I know. Look." Bart slowly sat up and forced Josh up with him. "I'm hungry and I bet AC is too. You stay here with AC and I'll go get some take away from somewhere."

Josh looked up at Bart unwilling to lose him just yet. "I'll look after you, Josh." Arthur's deeper voice soothed him and Josh sighed knowing that even if he didn't want to eat he needed to let the other two find some food. Josh sat on the sand and drew his knees up to his chest. Arthur sat close at his side and nudged him with his elbow. Josh leaned to the side at the invitation and laid his head on the bigger boy's shoulder. Arthur wrapped an arm around his shoulder and Josh relaxed.

Another concern was alleviated. He was safe here. Bart could run faster than the spin of the Earth and Arthur could do the same under water and he could easily transform now. He hadn't tested his Leviathan form out but he knew there wasn't a predator on Earth that could stand up to it.

"Why don't you try to sleep?" Arthur asked. "I won't go anywhere."

"I don't want to sleep." Josh sighed knowing that if he tried he'd only relive every memory of his Uncle that he had and he didn't want to contemplate how he'd feel when he woke up again. "What were you doing when I called?"

"Upsetting Whalers off the Japanese coast." Arthur told him seriously. Josh felt a surge of something go through him and he tensed up. He felt protective. He shook his head to shake off the feeling and as soon as he relaxed again he knew what it was about.

"Maybe we can go back and I'll help."

"You want to help?" Arthur asked.

"You came all the way over here for me. It's only right I pay you back." Josh defended.

"Oh, Josh." Arthur sighed regretfully. "I came over here because you're like a little brother to me. You and Bart both. You needed me so I came. There was no feeling of obligation and I'd never expect payment from you for anything I do for you."

Josh pulled his head up and looked at the older boy. "Sorry." Josh sighed and grabbed his hand in his own. "I still want to though. I think being a Leviathan Animagus is making me more protective of the fishes."

"Mammals." Arthur corrected before seeing the slightly amused look in Josh's hand and knew he was being baited. "Funny, but don't you want to train your magic and stuff?"

"I can do that too. We'll find a place on an island and hole up and us two can go out hunting during the day." Josh smiled at him as he felt purpose floating in him again.

"Are you sure you want to? Now, I mean?" Arthur asked.

"Please, AC." Josh begged. "Let me do this. I need something to live for. Something to make this all worth while. He died to give me a life. I have to make something of it."

"Punishing Whalers isn't what you're meant to do, Josh." Arthur sighed. "But if it helps for the time being I suppose I could let you."

Josh smiled and hugged him tightly. Arthur chuckled and pressed a kiss to Josh's hair in affection. "What about Ryan?" Arthur asked after a moment.

"He'll be safe and Bart will check up on him. Maybe he'll be better…" Arthur spun in an instant and his hand was over Josh's mouth effectively shutting him up. A hard look was on his face and Josh froze.

"Don't ever say that, Josh." Arthur told him. "Nobody is better off for not knowing you. I've never met Ryan but I know you and he'd be an idiot to not want you around. I'm never going to feel happy about letting you out of my sight but as soon as I think you'll be safe enough you're going back to be his big brother and to look out for him."

"How do you know I can be a good brother?" Josh asked and both knew they were thinking about the last time he had run off to Metropolis after Ryan had told him he wasn't his brother.

"You have a good effect on Bart." Arthur told him with a laugh. "Me, you, Bart and Ryan. We're all brothers in a way. All have special gifts and no real family to keep us sane so we stick together. You're better than any real little brother I could ever of had and I wouldn't trade you for the world and neither would Bart or Ryan."

Josh let his head drop forwards. "Thanks."

There was a gust of sand and then the sudden smell of hot Chinese food. A panting Bart sagged onto the sand in front of them and Josh looked at him in concern. He could run across flat water easily as long as he kept moving but running on waves which moved and changed height was much harder and it took all of his concentration not to fall straight into the water, or hit one and send him flying.

"What are you talking about?" Bart asked as he started opening the little plastic containers working out what was in there. Evidence he'd stolen it and not bought it.

"Us all being brothers and sticking together." Arthur told the youngest of the three.

"Sticking together I can handle but while I don't mind being your brother, AC, I'd rather think of Josh in a different light." Bart faked a shudder and Josh smiled at the attempt at humour. Arthur chuckled.

Josh listened to the two as they bantered back and forth, easily falling into their routine and he knew they were doing it to draw him out of his depressed mood and even though it kept him distracted he couldn't eat that much even though Bart and Arthur were both trying to get him to eat more.

They lay out on the sand above the high water mark as the night wore on and Josh found himself staring up at the sky from his place between the two other boys. They'd made a conscious decision to block him in and he knew that if he tried to stand both would wake in an instant. They were both too used to sleeping out alone and amongst the dangers of the world and as long as they were out here they'd only sleep lightly. He stared up at the stars seeing the constellations flicker as the clouds passed under them and could feel the steady stream of tears falling down the sides of his face.

He sighed and rubbed at his face with his arm and Bart, still obviously awake, rolled up to his side and laid his head on his chest to soothe him. He didn't speak but was also obviously waiting for something since he didn't relax to fall asleep until after Josh had pulled his arm up to lay on his back. He felt empty staring up into the darkness and there was nothing either of these two could do about it. Bart had been abandoned by his parents after becoming a 'freak' and Arthur had never known his own. Neither had had a person like his Uncle to rely on for everything only to have them ripped away.

He felt weak and defenceless. In the blackness of the world his Uncle had always blocked his sight of the Wizarding World but now he felt like he was staring down a tunnel and the Wizards at the other end were standing there watching his every move. He shivered in the cold night air but it had nothing to do with the chill.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Josh had dreamt that night and even though the dream had been pleasant memories of his Uncle he'd woken up feeling so badly out of place without his Uncle there that it had taken half an hour for Bart and Arthur to calm him down.

"So what's the plan?" Bart asked after a while.

"I want to learn from the book as much as possible." Josh told them both with a sigh.

"Well how about you two stay here while I go and look for another place to stay. I don't fancy spending all my time on one island and having search and rescue find us." Arthur pointed out.

"Sounds good to me." Bart agreed grinning widely.

"What?" Josh asked with a frown.

"Just me and you on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean?" Bart asked. "Why wouldn't I be smiling? It's like all of my fantasies all rolled up in one."

"Ew…remember the brother talk?" Arthur groaned. "I did not want to hear that."

Josh couldn't help it. He laughed. The first proper laugh in at least a week and he instantly felt guilty about it and shut his mouth. "He'd want you to be able to laugh." Bart told him quietly as he hugged him from behind pulling Josh back against his chest. Josh relaxed and nodded to show he knew that.

"I'm comfortable." Josh declared and looked up at Arthur as he stood. "Could you grab my book for me?"

"And the food!" Bart grinned and Arthur's accepting look at Josh's request turned into an affronted one.

"I suppose so." Arthur sighed and made his way up the beach. He came back a few minutes later with a bag of leftovers from the day before and Josh's book of sorcery. "I'll be back in a few hours or so. Try not to get into too much trouble."

Josh watched in silence as Arthur waded into the water and ducked down under the waves. He felt a yearning to go with him but it was offset rather easily by his desire to stay with Bart and learn from the book. He opened the book to the familiar few pages on the Animagus lessons before turning to the next section and blinking as the words cleared up for him. "What does it say?" Bart asked rather impetuously. They'd gotten used to Josh reading allowed and it stopped Bart from feeling left out and also meant that if something went wrong Bart would be there to understand what might have happened.

"It says Transportation of self." Josh said quietly. "Listen; Now that you have mastered the Animagus change your magic has entered each part of your body and that opens the door to transporting yourself and others wherever you wish. As I have said before this book will train you to keep you alive so it is in order of what is most important to survival and not in order of difficulty."

"I suppose that's logical." Bart pointed out as Josh paused.

"I suppose." Josh agreed before continuing. "This spell takes a lot of concentration and control of the mind and thus, once mastered, will aid in the casting of other magic like mind protection or offensive spells cast in dangerous circumstances. This spell will take approximately a week of intensive work to work but after that you should be able to travel to anyplace you have been to before."

"That's cool." Bart pointed out.

Josh set to it, reading each of the stages a few times before settling down to the meditation it suggested using to find and expand his magical core out to the rest of his body. Finding it was easy enough but it wasn't until beyond lunch when he could finally manipulate it and that was only after trying to imagine his transformation into the Leviathan. He broke out of his reverie with a tired sigh and Bart yawned and picked himself up from where he had lain down behind him.

"Finally!" Bart laughed. "I thought you were going to stay like that all day."

Josh turned to whack his boyfriend over the head but noticed a slight change in his usual exuberation. Normally his boyfriend channelled an energy that made Josh's skin vibrate when he touched it, it wasn't magical, it was just the way his boyfriend was. Full of energy and liveliness. There was none of that now though and his eyes were red. Josh spun on the ground to face Bart and frowned.

"You've been crying." Josh stated more than asked.

"It's nothing." Bart shook his head.

"I'm such an idiot." Josh sighed kicking himself mentally. "Come here?" He asked.

Bart shuffled closer to him and Josh reverted their position of yesterday to hold his boyfriend finding purpose in comforting him. Bart had lost Uncle Kev just as he had and his tears of the day before on that beach weren't nearly enough to let him go. Both boys would need a lot more of these episodes to finally release that pain.

"What's up?" Arthur's voice interrupted and Bart ducked his head lower into Josh's chest to wipe his eyes on his arm.

"Nothing." Bart defended.

"He's upset." Josh said bluntly and an understanding look crossed Arthur's face though Bart didn't see it.

"Am not." Bart shook his head fiercely.

"Of course not." Arthur stated making Bart look up in surprise. "I mean you didn't love him so why would you be upset by his death?" There was a small quiver in Arthur's voice and Josh knew that he too was unsettled by the loss though not nearly as close to Bart and Josh's misery.

"Git." Bart chuckled weakly but it was full of the evidence of his crying. Arthur placed his hand on the back of Josh and Bart's necks and soothed them both. Josh smiled at him and lay his head on Bart's head for a moment before starting to tell Arthur about what they'd read that morning.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That evening**

Josh and Bart had moved around behind a set of boulders half way around the island to bath in a spring that bubbled up from the top of the beach and ran down into a pool closed off on all but the ocean side. They new Arthur wouldn't come looking for them but as they floated together without thought of lust or need they both felt happier than they had been regardless of the cold water.

They were interrupted by a loud call as Arthur yelled out to them from the other side of the boulder. "Josh! It's Simon on your phone for you. He says it's urgent."

Josh pulled himself out of the water and grabbed one of the towels he'd packed for the trip and tied it around his waist so he wasn't exposed when he walked around the boulder to find Arthur holding his phone. Arthur handed it over and turned to walk back down the beach. Josh brought the phone up to his ear and greeted his lawyer kindly as he took off the towel and slipped back into the water so that Bart could sidle up to him.

"Josh? How are you doing?" Simon asked him.

Josh winced. "Well enough considering. Have you spoken to Ryan?"

"Actually that's what this is about." Simon told him and Josh tilted the phone so that Bart could hear the words. "Ryan's fine and he's with the Kent. I can't say all that much for his emotions right now but I think he's in the best care possible. You on the other hand…"

"I'm getting the help I need." Josh told him.

"I hope so. Brad misses you." Simon told him referring to his son that Josh had saved and befriended at school in Metropolis. He'd be twelve now. "I'm calling because there's been a complication with the custody papers."

"What?" Josh asked.

"Because your Uncle died before the Kents signed them you had entire custody for a while and as you know a minor can't have full custodial rights." Simon told him. Josh kept silent knowing that as a legal adult that didn't apply to him. "Lionel Luthor just filed to have the Kents' custody revoked on that basis. Since he thinks you didn't have the right to give custody to the Kents."

"Bastard!" Josh swore rather uncharacteristically.

"I've had temporary rights granted to the Kents by a Judge friend of mine but I'll need you to show and provide your papers of emancipation to the Judge in Smallville." Simon sighed.

"That's dangerous." Josh told him.

"If you're not there to prove yourself an adult and declare the Kents Ryan's legal guardians then Luthor might be able to gain custody of Ryan." Simon told him.

"Fuck!" Josh cursed shocking even Bart. "When's the hearing?"

"One o'clock on Saturday afternoon in Smallville Court." Simon told him.

"I'll meet you there, but please Simon, nobody can know I'm going to show. I can't afford them hearing of my arrival." Josh told him.

"I don't suppose you fancy telling me who?" Simon asked. "Suppose not. Just don't be late, Josh."

"Trust me, when it comes to Ryan I'll never let him down." Josh promised before closing the phone and putting it down outside the pool. He sunk down under the water for a moment before pushing back up again and smacking the water. Bart caught his arms and pressed himself into Josh's front to calm him. "I hate the Luthors. Why can't they just mind their own business?"

"Because they're idiots." Bart told him bluntly and passed his arms around Josh to soothe him. "You want me to come along?"

"I don't want you anywhere near the Wizards." Josh shook his head before a plan came to him. "I'll just have to work extra hard to get that transport thing down in five days instead of seven."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Saturday early morning**

With the need to get his transporting perfect by that weekend they decided to stay where they were on that island. Arthur normally went for a swim in the mornings and probably ranged halfway across the Atlantic in his trips. Bart tended to stay with Josh until Arthur returned and then ran to the coast for food and supplies. He always came back tired but they were stockpiling on food so they had enough when Bart couldn't get the entire way to a coastline when they were further into the ocean. Every evening Josh and Arthur went out for a swim so that Josh could get used to his Leviathan form.

He'd finally been able to transport himself across the beach two days ago and since then had been transporting himself across the beach getting used to the drain it took on his magical reserves. He'd been so worried that he hadn't been able to get to sleep the night before and finally wriggled out of the protective embrace that Arthur and Bart always managed to catch him in, especially since his dreams had turned to nightmares, and made his way to sit by the high water mark.

As the sun came up he knew he had to make a move to arrive in Smallville before one o'clock. He got up and made his way to Bart and Arthur. He placed a hand on Bart's stomach and his boyfriend rather comically shot up and awake. "Damn, you got away." Bart frowned.

"It was sweet." Josh told him with a chuckle. "I need to get going, I'll call you after to tell you when to expect me back."

"Be careful." Bart told him and grabbed his head to plunge in for a loving kiss. "I love you."

"I know and I love you too." Josh told him before standing and pocketing his phone. He dug through his bag and quickly threw on a clean shirt that Bart had put through the laundry with the rest of their clothing and then accepted the hug from Bart.

He held up his hand and after a moments concentration the small ball of green light formed over the back of his hand before he focusing internally. The ball sunk in to his skin and he spoke the incantation. "Abige!" He had to concentrate on his house as he spoke knowing that with the distance he needed to focus on a place he really knew well and the courthouse wouldn't be good enough. He vanished as his body flashed green and in an instant he travelled to Smallville.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Smallville**

He reappeared with a gasp as he collapsed to the floor of the living room. As he struggled with his shaking limbs he looked around the room with painful reserve. Somebody had come in and tidied the house, turned off all the electrics and put dust sheets over everything. It was done with a caring touch and Josh could see the little things that meant it had been done in preparation for his return. He looked at the clock and sighed, he only had a half hour to go.

He stood shakily and focused on his magic again to do a smaller jump to the Kent Farm. They'd probably already be at the courthouse but his car would be there and he had a spare key in his pocket. Hopefully the battery would be charged and the tank would have fuel in it. He was even more tired after the second time and was shocked at the effort it took as he collapsed to the wooden floor of the porch around the Kent Farm.

It took almost five minutes for him to gather the strength to stand up and tumble around the building to his Jeep. He smiled at it as part of his old life before fishing out his keys and unlocking it. He turned the key in the ignition and felt glad that it had been looked after as it started up without a problem.

He called Bart's cell phone on the way into town to let him and Arthur know that things had gone off without a hitch but that he didn't think he'd be up to doing it long distance again until later. He arrived at the Courthouse with a few minutes to spare and parked his car next to a pickup he recognised as the Kents farm run-about. The inside of the building was quiet though he expected that anybody involved would already be in the session. There was only two courtrooms in the building so he headed for the one that the sheriff was lurking out side of.

"Mr. Ackervey." She looked concerned, annoyed and relieved all in one go. "Your lawyer warned us just now to keep an eye out for you. Everyone is inside."

"Thank you Sheriff."

"Maybe we should have a chat after the hearing?" The Sheriff told him.

"I'm afraid I shouldn't stay for too long, Sheriff." Josh told her. "Unless you want to hold me for something I have to get back out of town as fast as possible."

She narrowed his eyes but moving away wasn't exactly a punishable crime. Especially since Josh was about to announce to everyone that he was a legal adult. He walked into the room and the Judge, Pete's mom, stopped talking as everyone turned to look at him in his baggy black jeans and red button up shirt. This was as neat as he went, he didn't want to seem like a complete outcast when in court after all.

The room was split really. Lionel Luthor stood on one side with a lawyer next to him and Lex Luthor hovering in the seats behind him. But on the other side sat Simon at the table with Martha and Jonathan Kent while behind them sat Clark, Ryan, Lana, Pete, Chloe and what seemed to be half of their other friends as well as Anne, Michael and Cassandra from the hospital. All there to show to the Judge that they supported the Kents desire to have custody of Ryan. A small boy sat beside Ryan and Josh smiled at them both as they saw him.

"Josh!" Ryan leapt across Clark in his haste to run down the isle and throw himself at his older brother in a tight hug that Josh returned. Brad was a bit more subtle in his haste to hug Josh but he was still ready and waiting when Ryan let go.

"Good." Lionel spoke up over the round of smiles and greetings. "Perhaps we should include Mr. Ackervey's custody in these proceedings."

"As the Judge is already aware, my Client has already brought his concerns about Mr. Ackervey's well being before the courts." Luthor's lawyer spoke up.

"Please people, take a seat." The Judge spoke up whilst looking at Josh with veiled relief. She'd probably heard about everything from her son. Josh nodded at her before guiding the two boys back to where Clark was sitting. Josh stepped through the swinging gates to join the Kents and Simon at the front of the room. He nodded at Simon with permission.

"I think it's time we wrapped this up." Simon told the judge before standing and handing her a document from the wallet on the table. "As you can see the reasons for this hearing are rendered moot with this document. Joshua Ackervey was Emancipated over two years ago to prevent any further attempts by the Luthors to gain control of his well being." He said the last part with contempt and a ripple went through the room as the words clicked into place.

"This is ridiculous." Luthor spat.

"No it isn't." Josh narrowed his eyes. "I am considered an adult and therefore when my Uncle and I signed for custody of Ryan it was with equal rights. With his death I gained full custodial rights over Ryan and thus signed over part of those rights to Martha and Jonathan Kent."

Luthor glared at him but the Judge interrupted any retorts with a decisive look at Luthor's lawyer. "Do you have anything productive to add at this point?"

"Only that we maintain that the Kent family do not have the monetary means to support Ryan long term."

"Your honour, if I may?" Simon spoke up and passed her another document. One of the reasons Simon was the best was his ability to pre-empt every argument made by the opposition. He'd come with evidence to back up every counter argument he made. "This is a summary of the funds that were transferred from Joshua Ackervey's standing account into a fund meant for just that purpose. As you can see it contains more than enough to raise Ryan and send him to any college of his choosing."

"But it cannot be anywhere near what my client can offer." Luthor's lawyer spoke up.

"But it does completely negate the grounds of your argument." She told him sternly. "We're done here. Good day Mr. Luthor."

He narrowed his eyes but left with his son and lawyer without comment. Josh smiled at the Judge in gratitude and turned to face the others. Ryan leapt across the railing and Josh had to catch him as he tripped in his attempt to get to Josh as quickly as possible. "Hey there kid." Josh whispered as he set him down and hugged him. He was too heavy to hold like that for long.

"I've missed you so much." Ryan told him.

"I know and I'm sorry." Josh told him. "I'm learning though and I'll tell you all about it."

"You're staying for a while right?" Ryan asked without lifting his head.

"For a few hours only. Bart and Arthur are waiting for me but I can't do the trip again so soon."

"Trip?" Ryan asked.

"I transported myself." Josh told him in a whisper.

"Really?" Ryan gasped. "So you can visit more often?"

"Not all the time but yes." Josh told him with a soft smile before hugging him. He pulled away and not a second later he was hugging Brad again. "And how has my little Brady been?"

"I'm too old for that." Brad told him.

"Well that hurts." Josh hid his smile but the boy grinned up at him. "I take it you two have met."

Brad nodded and Ryan smiled down at the kid. Josh looked around the room and in doing so allowed others to approach. They'd evidently chosen to give Josh and Ryan those moment but at Josh's unspoken permission they flooded in on them with greetings and congratulations over the quick victory over the Luthors. In the end most left them in peace baring the Kents, Ryan, Simon and Brad. Josh drove Ryan, Simon and Brad back to the Kent Farm and Ryan sat in silence for the whole trip as Brad sat in the front seat telling Josh everything that had happened to the boy since he'd last seen him.

Ryan paused and waited for Josh to back the car into it's temporary home while the others made their way into the house for lunch. Josh sidled up to him and passed his arm around his waist. "How are you holding up?" Josh asked him quietly.

"I'm not." Ryan told him bluntly as they walked inside. "What about you?"

"I keep waking up thinking it's all a dream." Josh told him honestly. "That or nightmares."

"You don't look like you've had much sleep." Ryan told him. "Can we go somewhere?"

"Sure, Ry." Josh told him. Unsurprisingly nobody commented when Josh and Ryan walked straight passed them and upstairs to Clark's room. Josh sagged against the bed that Ryan had been using and Ryan collapsed down between his legs going completely limp as he fell into Josh's chest with an explosive sigh.

"When will you be back?" Ryan asked after a few minutes.

"I don't know Ryan." There was a pause until Josh realised that his little brother was crying silently without adjusting his position to hide the fact. He'd been crying so much in the last week that he barely noticed now. "I'm so sorry to abandon you, Ryan, but it's for the best. I don't want to put you through my death as well."

"I know but I miss you. Clark's cool but he's not you." Ryan told him. He twisted against Josh's chest and hugged him tightly. "As long as your safe I'm happy."

"As soon as it's safe enough for me to come back I will." Josh promise. "And I don't want you to worry about me. I can transport to anywhere I've been before. I can change into my Animagus form and before long I'll be doing spells. Just be as happy as you can be for the time being."

"But I'll have my big brother back right?" Ryan asked without trying to cover the tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Without a doubt." Josh smiled. "Are you ready to go face the others?"

Ryan nodded and after a few more minutes of silence as Ryan refused to release Josh from his embrace they headed downstairs to find the others all sitting around the table eating. Two chairs sat empty between Clark and Brad so Josh sat next to Brad and ruffled his hair. "Thanks for looking after him, Mr Kent, Mrs Kent."

"Don't worry about it." Martha told him. "How have you been?"

"I've been getting a tan on a deserted island out in the Atlantic." Josh chuckled to cover the emotional answer to that question.

"On your own?" Clark asked.

"Nah, I've got a couple of friends that are sticking around." Josh told him before pre-empting the next question. "And you don't want to know how we got out there."

"Stole a boat?" Simon asked coming to the logical guess.

"Funny." Josh deadpanned but didn't deny the accusation, it was better than telling them that he turned into a mythical beast and swam there.

"When can we expect you back again, Josh?" Martha asked with a concerned look on her face. "You don't look like you've been sleeping much."

"I've been sleeping as well as Ryan has, and that's enough for me. The longer I spend out there the safer Ryan is and that's ok with me." Josh told her before answering her question. "I'd rather not say, Mrs. Kent. I don't want to be heard discussing it."

"You think we could be being listened to right now?" Clark looked sceptical.

"Please just trust him, Clark." Ryan came to his rescue and his words seemed to have a more calming effect on Josh than anything else. "He'll come back when it's safe to. He knows the most about avoiding these people."

"What people?" Jonathan asked.

Josh looked towards Simon but sighed in any event, he'd tell the same story he told Simon before hand. "They're a group of fanatics that want me for my abilities and they've been chasing me since I was younger than Brad."

"You think they…?" Clark trailed off as he realised he'd just put his foot firmly into his mouth.

"I have no doubt they murdered Uncle Kev. The way he died is too distinctive." Josh told him. "He probably refused to tell them where I was and they lost patience and hoped it would make me do something stupid and show myself."

"They were at the funeral." Ryan spoke up with an apologetic look at Josh. Josh looked at him sharply. "They lurked at the back and watched everyone but they didn't do anything else. They left when they realised you weren't coming."

"You should have told me, Ryan." Clark told him sternly.

"You couldn't have done anything, Clark." Ryan seemed unsure and Josh noticed the worried looks that passed between Martha, Jonathan and Clark. Josh caught Simon's curious eyes and slowly shook his head to cut off any questions. They could all have their weirdness if they wanted.

Josh stood having eaten a whole half a sandwich and leant down to hug Ryan over the shoulders. "Be careful and call me if they show up again." He warned his little brother who nodded and leant his head into Josh's side in way of hugging him back. Josh briefly hugged Brad and Simon before taking his leave. They didn't seem to wonder about how he was getting back and he'd let Ryan come up with something. Probably that he was getting picked up by a friend out on the road. As soon as he was far enough along the road he slipped into the forests that bordered it and concentrated on his magic for a third time that day. "Abige!"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Island**

Josh came back to reality back under the sun of the island and sunk to his knees with a sigh of exhaustion as he let his head fall down. He shut his eyes for a moment which must have been more since he woke up to find himself looking up at the bright sky with Bart sitting beside him staring out at the water. Josh reached up a hand and brushed it up his boyfriend's bare arm. Bart shot round and grinned happily down at him.

"Hey there." Josh smiled.

"Did you have to collapse like that?" Bart asked impetuously. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"It's really tiring doing it for that kind of distance." Josh told him. "I think it'll get easier though."

"You scared the hell out of me." Bart accused.

"Sorry." Josh told him sincerely before pulling Bart down on top of him for a kiss. Arthur was obviously out for his swim and they had a few moments to themselves. He didn't really care how long they made out for but they were both rather mused when they broke apart and Josh told Bart everything that had happened in Smallville.

"We kind of figured that they'd drop in at the funeral. It was the only way they could track you back to Smallville." Bart told him seeing how upset Josh was at the idea of missing his Uncle's funeral.

"I still wish I could have been there though." Josh told him. "He did so much for me and I didn't even pay him my respects."

"He doesn't need you standing there watching him being buried to know that you respect what he did for you. He knows and wherever he is now he knows you're mourning his loss." Bart told him and placed his head over Josh's newly bared chest, slowly scratching lines with his fingertips into Josh's side. "He loved you and you loved him. That's all either of you need now."

"See, not just the rug rat thief of old." Josh chuckled.

"Do you have to call me that?" Bart demanded.

"Of course." Josh laughed. "But right now you're my teddy bear." Josh laughed and pulled his arms up and around Bart hugging him just like you would a stuffed bear. Bart laughed quietly and snuggled into his chest, placing a small kiss at the base of Josh's throat in the process.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	13. Returning

Outsiders

Chapter 13; Returning

**Pacific Ocean, coast of Japan**

Joshua slid through the water slowly spiralling his length to propel himself along faster than even a dolphin could swim. He was simply exercising himself. Josh was drawn to the peace of the water, even with the chatter of marine animals that always kept him company. This time the normal dolphin pod and Orca family had been joined with a creature far closer to Josh's own size. The great Blue Whale with its constant slow speech provided almost as much entertainment for the dolphins as Josh did. They had run into each other a few weeks ago and the huge creature had stuck around whether they stayed.

Josh swam gently beside the Blue Whale while the Orcas and Dolphin scurried around them making far more trips to the surface to breathe than Josh or the two hundred ton whale beside him. A small form flickered in front of Josh's nose and since it had appeared so fast Josh knew that is was Arthur. The form lingered for a moment before darting out of the way as one of the dolphins tried to ram him. It was being playful but sometimes they forgot that Arthur was human.

Josh snaked out his neck and jabbed the dolphin reproachfully in the side. It stopped and stared at him a moment before meekly approaching the hanging Arthur who stroked it's nose gently.

_"__Josh__, I've found another one, about fifty miles north of here."_ Arthur told him, his words rippled through the water and were picked up on Josh's scales just like dolphins picked up their own ultrasonic impulses on their noses.

_"Let's go play."_ Josh slid around and using his inert sense of direction turned due north. They'd been staying on a small volcanic island just North East of Japan and Josh and Arthur spent a lot of time hunting Whalers or polluters and putting a stop to their activities rather permanently. Bart spent most of the morning relaxing on the beaches of the island or visiting Japan with Josh and Arthur in the evenings. Josh also spent half of his time working in his book. His powers had rapidly advanced in the four months he'd been gone and he was confident that he'd be able to at least sent a Wizard running back across the globe if it came to it.

The book had taught him hard and fast. His mind was protected as far as he could tell. He could transport himself to anywhere he'd visited before. He could shield from other magic and had an armoury of some ten or so very violent spells that he could cast if need be. He was only a fifth of the way into the book and it would take several years before he could call himself an accomplished Sorcerer but he'd soon be at the point where he could return to Smallville and risk the Wizards. Then he could be back with Ryan again, and not just like the two trips he'd made since the court session.

Josh and Arthur came across their quarry not too long afterwards. They'd kept their speed down to let the Blue Whale, Orca's and Dolphins keep up with them since it was easier to hide when they had so much around them. If somebody happened to spot Arthur in the water they might call search and rescue but if somebody spotted a huge Sea Serpent there'd be mass panic until the authorities spotted a massive Blue Whale and its entourage.

Even so, Josh spoke through the water to his impromptu companions impressing the need for them to stay together out here where it was safe. They did as they were told though Josh knew that they'd follow if they thought Josh was in danger. It was surprising the damage a Blue Whale could do to a ship.

Josh gaze up out of the water at the ship cutting through the water. It was a heavy, cumbersome thing that sent spray up into the air each time it came down on a wave. It's cranes made a horrendous noise as they jerked around in their restraints but it was the smell of the ship that caught Josh's attention and spurred on his Leviathan's instincts. It was the smell of an Orca. Josh's vibrating call sounded to human ears to be very much that of an Orca and Josh slid smoothly back under the water as humans ran to the edge of the boat looking for another whale to prey on.

They water however wasn't an impediment to the answering call from the Orca that told Josh that it was still alive. Josh turned to look at Arthur who was steadily breathing in oxygen through the gills behind his ears. _"Let's get that Orca off before the boat sinks."_ Arthur told him. He would have been able to hear the Orca's return call as well.

Josh rolled into the water, coiling his length into a tight spiral before propelling himself forwards. To the men on the ship all they saw was a streak of black approaching the ship. Josh grew longer as he approached building in size as he always did when the creatures of the sea were at threat. His two metre diameter body struck the side of the ship and he scrapped his way down the side tearing off barnacles and the plating that protected the iron hull. The ship lurched violently and Josh heard a sudden splash. He coiled around again and turned to avoid the rotating propellers before striking out with his jaws. They crunched through the prop shafts and he yanked his mouth away as the starboard propeller fell into the depths.

He attacked the second one and the boat shuddered to a halt as Josh's tail crossed it's bow and slowed it suddenly. A shape caught his eye from where the ship had been before and he could just see a person treading water. Josh struck out towards it and though he'd never killed any of the whalers that didn't mean he hadn't scared them. His head reared out of the water as he dove passed the human in plain sight of those on the ship. Josh ducked back into the water easily dodging the harpoon that streaked passed the human and sunk into the water.

He nudged the ship again but this time he held it on one side. He felt the ship lurched as something heavy slide down the down and then after a moment a loud splash that couldn't be a human.

An overjoyed Orca cry echoed through the water and Josh released the boat and swam under its precariously rolling keel as he bit his way through the rest of the netting holding the rescued Orca trapped. He nudged the creature to leave as soon as it was free and called to the other Orcas to come collect her. When a Leviathan requests that you take a stranger into your pod you don't even think about arguing.

_"Time to sink this bastard of a thing."_ Josh declared to Arthur who Josh knew was standing well clear. Before Josh had joined him, Arthur had contented himself with upsetting the Whalers, snarling their propellers with cables, cutting their nets free, sneaking on board at night to cut their catches free and so on, but with Josh around they could permanently put Whalers out of business. Arthur was safer staying away from the scene.

Josh reared out of the water and swiped his bulky neck across the back of the ship tearing all of its cranes and nets off of the deck and into the water. A harpoon gun followed quickly as Josh's jaws ripped it out of the deck. The sound of a gun being cocked reached his ears and he jerked his head to the side as a shotgun bullet passed his ear with metres to spare. He didn't like being shot, it left a scratch on his own body, so Josh slid back into the water and hid in the shadow of the boat.

He waited a few metres before his tail slipped up over the bow and down into the water on the other side. It took a moment for them to realise something was happening but by the time they did Josh was already tightening his coils adding another length to the vice until with a massive crack that echoed through the water the bow broke away from the rest of the ship. Josh dropped it instantly and slipped deep into the ocean before turning to head towards where Arthur was watching.

He rippled back into his human form, treading water beside Arthur even as the rolling waves threatened to overcome him along with the cold that Arthur was build to withstand. He shivered but didn't have to worry about staying afloat when a dolphin popped up under his arm as a lifeboat.

"I'm not all too sure I like watching you get shot at." Arthur told him.

"It's all proportional. A shotgun bullet would be like a paper cut to the Leviathan and when I shrink back to human so does the wound." Josh shrugged.

"That doesn't make me like it any better." Arthur studied the scene before them with a grin of pleasure. The ship was settling in my the ruined forecastle, they had maybe five minutes to get into their life rafts and call out a mayday. It wouldn't take a genius to work out they were whalers by the equipment floating around them.

A massive hulk surface slowly beside Josh and he turned to look at the gaping jaws of the Blue Whale. It dove back slowly into the water but as its head came completely clear a jet of water exploded upwards from its blowhole before Josh heard it taking a huge gulp of air. "Let's get back to the island." Josh suggested and started to transform again. It was about a hundred miles back to the island and would take them several hours if they let the Blue Whale stay with them. They'd really do it faster and let the Blue Whale reach them that night. If it wanted to.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

When they got ashore a few hours later it was already noon and surprisingly Bart had already been to shore and back again. Josh pulled on his jeans but forewent a shirt for the time being. "Where have you been?" Bart demanded.

"The same place we usually are." Arthur stepped in with a frown.

"You could have been here sooner!" Bart narrowed his eyes but it little to cover his concern. Josh hugged him letting Bart fold himself into his arms.

"What's the matter love?" Josh asked.

"I saw a big ship on the way to shore. Luthor Corp emblem on the side and it's packed with men. Took a spin around the inside and there's pictures of Josh as a Leviathan." Bart tumbled through the words.

"Maybe letting them see the Leviathan wasn't a good idea. Obviously Luthor Corp wants to study it." Arthur sighed as Josh let Bart go.

"I don't fancy being dissected." Josh told them both. "We'll be able to keep clear of something that big easily enough though."

"Maybe you should just take it easy for a while?" Bart suggested.

Josh sighed and sat down on the sand. It had been four months now since his Uncle had died but whenever he found himself with nothing to do it started to creep in on him. If he worked on his magic for too long it crept in on his concentration so the only thing he could do was to keep himself active and when he was a Leviathan it was easier to get distracted and it gave him a purpose that started to make up for leaving Ryan behind to keep himself safe. Even sleeping didn't help all that much. He and Bart always slept curled up together and while that was pleasant compared to their normal separation, Josh still always seemed to wake up with tears on his cheeks, even if it was one of the odd nights that he didn't dream about either his Uncle or the Wizards that had killed him.

He realised he'd been staring out to sea for a few minutes when Bart sat beside him with a sigh to match his own. Arthur sat down on Josh's other side silently. "I'm sorry, Bart. But when I'm hunting Whalers I feel useful." Bart made to interrupt but Josh beat him to it. "I have to feel useful, Bart. It's the only way I'm staying sane right now."

Bart and Arthur knew everything about how Josh felt. They knew that he suffered from nightmares, had only a few hours sleep a night, worried constantly about Ryan and they knew he was pushing his training too far but they accepted that without that distraction he'd simply lose his mind and then the Wizards would win. They weren't ready to accept losing Josh in any way and if that meant letting him tackle the small evils in the world then they'd let him. They'd protect him until he could obliterate his enemies and when he could do that they'd be at his side.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A week later**

Josh surged through the water after destroying the latest polluter of the ocean. It was about time they returned to the island they were camping on and Josh was about to suggest it to Arthur and their dolphin companions when a low pitched echo reverberated through the water. It was a dull cry of anger, fury and pain but Josh and Arthur knew what it was in an instant. Their Blue Whale companion, Ajax as Bart had named him when he'd beached himself in the water around the island to meet him, was being hurt and calling out in pain.

Josh's Leviathan side snapped into action and his great length coiled tight before sending him streaming through the water leaving not only the dolphins but also Arthur trailing behind him. Ajax was around a hundred miles away from them, his voice spreading out so low that only marine animals could have heard it. It took a few minutes to cover the distance and as he slipped through the water he picked up all of Ajax's cries like he was skipping through a CD.

Ajax was lying on the surface in the rough weather of a storm that had been travelling north along the coast of Japan. Josh couldn't see anything attacking him even though he could faintly hear the sound of a Blue Whale pair off to the East calling back. Josh slowed his approached and stopped under the crippled whale and ran his scaled over Ajax's belly. His own voice rippled through the water asking what attacked him. Ajax's primitive reply told him that a giant bird sent pain through him and he felt in the message the fear Ajax felt toward the bird as it took away Ajax's control of his fins and tail, not letting him dive.

Josh looked up through the water as he slid out of the shadow of his companion and saw a strange black shape hovering without the use of wings. He approached the surface to see through the stormy waves and recognised the 'bird' for what it was. The black body and stream lined structure was that of a helicopter and he could hear the vibrations of the rotor blades as they buffeted at the seas.

The helicopter swung slowly, it's tail grew longer as it turned to the side away from Josh. Josh didn't managed to coil and dodge in time and felt something sharp dig into the side of his face. Anger roared inside him and even as he struck up out of the water he grew in length and width. Without the water though he was as slow as a normal snake and while that wasn't that slow it was slow enough that the helicopter managed a rather clumsy manoeuvre to dodge him.

Another sharp stab made him hiss in pain and this time his fangs managed to gain purchase for a moment when he struck out. His jaws refused to maintain their grip though and Josh was surprised when he fell back into the water with a crash. He coiled to strike again but felt his anger fading. His body started to shrink as his world began to darken around him. He dimly realised he'd been tranquilised and that only Ajax had witnessed it.

The sleeping three metre long Leviathan was picked up by the shaken helicopter crew a few minutes later.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Pacific Ocean**

The Queen Enterprises Northern Pacific Conservation Ship, the _Gavial_, wasn't all that subtle as it crept up on the huge tanker belonging to Luthor Corp. It sat at anchor off the east coast of Japan and while it's radar could clearly see the approaching ship it couldn't see the small shape of a black rib with a single occupant slid across the storm surface of the water.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The **_**Imdagud**_

Josh woke very slowly but it was only his serpentine eyes that became aware to his surroundings. His tail and body were unresponsive for the moment and even his hearing took a moment to come to him. His eyes could see out of his small tank quiet easily but the sounds were muffled by the thickness of the glass. He was in some sort of lab and his cylindrical tank was fully sealed as it sat in the centre. About half a dozen men in a variety of colours milled about the room but one person caught his attention in his bleary state. Lionel Luthor.

His focused the hearing of his three metre long body, using his scales to pick up the vibrations like he usually did. He could feel the hum of a generator of some kind beneath them so realised he was still on a ship. The sound of waves against a hull confirmed that but they were muffled which mean they were on a big ship, possibly the tanker that Bart had warned him about.

"It it alive?" Lionel asked. A technician said something but Josh couldn't catch it since the man turned away. "And we're safe?"

"We're not sure." This time the technician who spoke was facing Josh's prison and he understood the words. "It was far bigger than this when it defended the Blue Whale but it hasn't moved its body since awakening which suggests the sedatives being pumped into it are working."

"Any idea what it is yet?" Lionel asked.

"In six hours, no." The technician shook his head not seeming that afraid of the billionaire. "Given a few days we should know a bit more about what species it could have evolved from."

"What about stimuli?" Lionel asked. "What does it do when angered?"

"We were about to test what it does against pain." The technician said.

Josh didn't like the sound of that and his mouth emitted a cry before he could react. It was a low one that vibrated through the tank and into the decks making them vibrate. "Perhaps it understood us. Interesting." Lionel tapped at his chin.

"It's calling for help." The technician muttered. "Sonar picked up the same call outside the ship. It has remarkable vocal abilities."

"Let's see what it calls." Lionel gestured to the technician who nodded at another. A spark danced across the top of his water prison and an instant later Josh shrieked in pain as electricity darted over his body. His previous numbness vanished as adrenaline filled him and his body writhed within the cage. He grew larger and snapped out of the leather restraints that he hadn't even noticed held him floating in the middle of the water. Wires snapped free of his scales and he coiled up defensively near the base of the tank as the electricity stopped.

"It grew by half a metre." A new technician told them as he squatted in front of the cage. Josh lashed out violently slamming his fangs into the glass. The inner layer cracked slightly but it was obviously made of tough stuff and of several layers. Josh would kill himself before he got out. The technician had thrown himself back though. Josh didn't hear the rest of the discussion since Lionel and the other man turned away so he turned his attention to his own body. He had a nasty wound on his left side just below where his ribs would be as a human and already his body was going numb again. He laid his head down on his coils in the water and shut his own letting his world turn black again.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Josh was woken up by the sound of an alarm that rang through his water making his scales vibrate uncomfortably. He opened his eyes and forced his head up and realised with a shock that his body couldn't take much more of whatever they'd been doing to him. He was once again connected to wires and something had stabbed between two of his scales on his neck and burrowed deep into his spinal cord. If he didn't find a way to escape soon he'd die.

He grew slightly larger at the thought and he twisted his body into a weak knot that forced the wires off of him. He turned to the room and could see the technicians running around frantically. They barely spared him a glance before the door smashed off its hinges with a solid kick. He half expected it to be either Arthur or Bart but the man who came through the door seemed slightly older than Arthur and was covered with a dark green leather ensemble and dark sunglasses that covered his eyes.

In a single smooth motion he pulled up an expensive bow and fired an arrow clear across the room hitting a junction box which exploded a split second later plunging the room into emergency lighting. Another arrow sent the six technicians scampering away through another door which the man locked before scanning the rest of the room.

He'd obviously come looking for something as he nodded happily when he saw Josh curled up in the tank staring at him. He walked over and stopped on the other side of the glass. "You don't look as nasty as the news suggests." The man noted with a sarcastic note in his voice. "Either way I don't think a nice creature like you should be trapped up in here and there's a thousand people that would like to see Luthor go down for illegal experimentation."

Josh stared at the man with renewed concern. If he was just going to put him on display and use this to take down Luthor than Josh really couldn't stick around to help him. Josh tightened his spirals and lashed out at the crack he'd already formed. The glass cracked a bit further but it made Josh far too dizzy. His body sagged and floated in the water limply and the man on the other side, who had flinched away, put a hand on the glass. Josh lifted his head and knew he only had one hope. He needed to turn back into a human and get medical treatment and to do that he needed out and he knew of only one way to do that.

He was a Leviathan and that meant he wasn't just a simple beast. He struck out with his mind like he had the first time he'd spoke to Arthur in this form. _"Please, help me."_

The man jumped back in shock. "You did not just talk!"

_"Dying. Get me out."_ Josh was forced to pull his mind back due to his exhaustion and the drugs still floating around in his blood.

"I'm going to regret this." The man shook his head but stepped back and pulled up his bow. Josh drew himself up into a tight ball at the side of the tank with some of his remaining energy and the man fired an arrow straight through the glass shattering it. Josh landed heavily on the floor of the lab with all the water around him and felt darkness creeping up on him. If he wanted medical treatment he'd have to trust this strange man even though his common sense screamed that it was too much of a risk.

Josh's form rippled as he bent the last of his strength and concentration on turning himself back into his human self. His snake body slowly shifted back until he lay on the sharp glass in his swim shorts. His eyes looked up and his eyes met the face of the strange man who was staring at him without moving. "What the hell?"

Josh just let his head drop back and slipped into unconsciousness.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Josh woke and knew instantly that he was somewhere different. He was lying in sunlight for a start and the steady rock of the bed told him he was on a ship much smaller than the huge tanker ship the lab had been on. He let his eyes wander around the room until they settled on a man sitting silently in a chair in the corner of the room. He had rather unruly blond hair which showed the signs of constantly having a hand run through it, sharp angular features and he was still wearing his sunglasses. Josh vaguely thought he should recognise him from a picture but without the eyes he had no chance.

"You're up I see." The man observed and gracefully stood. Josh noted dryly that the man's bow and quiver were leaning up against the table within easy reach and he wondered how long it would take him to draw and fire it. "About two and a half seconds."

Josh jumped and realised his curiosity had been clear on his face. The man moved towards Josh and helped him up against the headboard. "I could be out of here in a fraction of that time." Josh told him.

"Please don't." The man sighed. "You've peaked my interest and I think you owe me for patching you up."

"Who are you?" Josh asked. "You came bursting into a Luthor Corp ship to what...? Rescue a new species and incriminate the Luthors? Are you still going to do that?"

"Whoa! Easy." The man grinned slightly. "I heard Luthor was up here trying to capture a new species that was destroying fishing boats and I took the opportunity to cause him irritation. Rescuing the new species was just a bonus. Finding out you were a human that can turn into a snake was a surprise though."

"Leviathan." Josh told him. "I turn into a Leviathan."

"As in the mythical creature?" The man looked surprised.

"You're dubious about me turning into a mythical creature but not that I can turn into an animal?" Josh raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." The man shrugged and pulled off his glasses to rub at his nose. "So what's the deal?"

"Oliver Queen?" Josh asked. "I thought I recognised you."

Oliver glanced at the glasses in his hand and then back at Josh before he placed the sunglasses on the table next to his bow. "Don't tell anyone."

"You're talking to the guy that turns into a Leviathan. We'll keep each other's secret I think."

"Deal." Oliver nodded. "I still don't know your name or what it was you were doing out here. You're definitely American or at least you live there but beyond that I know nothing."

"My name's Joshua Ackervey. My Uncle was recently murdered and since the men that did it were after me I'm taking a prolonged leave of absence. I have a few abilities that help me out at times and one of them is turning into a Leviathan." Josh told him bluntly. "I was irritating polluters and whalers when a helicopter shot me full of sedatives."

"Abilities?" Oliver asked.

"I can heal people." Josh told him knowing he owed the man something more at least.

"I knew there had to me more of you out there." Oliver muttered. "Do you know any others?"

Josh drew his hands across his bare chest. "Why do you want to know? And more to the point what are you going to do with me?"

"I thought you said you could leave whenever you wanted?" Oliver asked. Josh narrowed his eyes at him. "I could give you a place to live, safety, legal protection. Anything you want and if you know of others I'd protect them too."

Josh eyed him but his instincts told him to trust the man. "I know of a few others but it isn't my place to talk about them." Oliver's face fell and that proved more than anything that the man was sincere. "You've met my boyfriend though."

"I have?" Oliver seemed surprised but not by the fact he was gay.

"He broke into your personal library and stole a book for me." Josh told him.

"Bart?" Oliver asked. "Wait, could you read the book?"

Josh nodded. "It's written in the languages snakes talk in."

"You can read that?" Oliver asked shocked.

"I can talk it too." Josh told him with a grin. A deep rumbling vibrated through the hull of the ship and Oliver frowned and moved to the intercom built into the wall. "It's a friend of mine."

"There's another like you?" Oliver asked without pressing the button.

"No." Josh laughed. "He's just probably worried that the Leviathan he plays with has disappeared onto the ship."

"Plays with?" Oliver frowned. "What are we talking about here?"

"A Blue Whale." Josh told him before forcing himself out of bed. His hand came up to hold his left side as pain lanced through him. "You'd better help me up onto the deck."

"Why?" Oliver asked.

"Because he'll ram us to get to me." Josh told him. "It's what Blue Whales do when their pods are captured by fishermen."

"Er, right." Oliver was at his side in a minute. "What about Bart? Is he around?"

"I don't know. He was on the island last I saw him." Oliver shot him a confused look. "You're the one that wants to know us all, you'll have to accept that we're weird."

"Very weird." Oliver nodded.

"You were the one shooting up a tanker ship with a bow and arrow." Josh told him.

"It's a good thing I was." Oliver shot back. The ship lurched violently and Oliver shut his mouth and helped Josh out of the room and out a doorway onto the quarter deck. Josh looked down at himself taking in the cotton trousers he was wearing before making Oliver take him down onto the swimming platform sitting gently just above the water. He rolled up his legs and let Oliver lower him down so he was sitting on the edge of the platform with his lower legs in the icy water.

He splashed the water with his hands and feet and after a moment he saw the shadow slowly rising towards him before all of a sudden Ajax's head slowly broke the water. His nose pushed up at Josh's feet and Josh rubbed his rubbery skin in greeting.

"Oliver, meet Ajax." Josh introduced. "He's a friend Ajax. You don't have to hurt the big seal."

"Seal?" Oliver looked offended.

"The ship, Oliver. Most large marine animals view ships as Seals that haven't worked out how to swim underwater yet. Sometimes they decide to help them out by sinking them." Josh told him. "It's actually rather hilarious."

"Oh yes, really fun." Oliver muttered.

"Come and say hello or he won't leave me alone with you." Josh told him.

"You can understand each other with turning into a Leviathan?" Oliver asked.

"No." Josh shook his head. "I just know what he wants. I'm like a temporary pod member and he's the bull. He wants to know everybody I am with to make sure I'm safe."

Oliver knelt at Josh's side and tentatively reached out to touch the huge creatures nose. Ajax snorted as he felt it before ducking back under the water. A few seconds later his tail struck the water and showered them both. "He accepts you." Josh told Oliver.

"And I suppose he's a good judge of character?" Oliver asked.

"Not really. But he realised you're just a human which means I can take you." Josh laughed. "He's not worried about me now."

"You could take me?" Oliver asked.

"How long do you think you'd be able to stand up to a two hundred metre long Leviathan?" Josh asked.

"Point taken." Oliver nodded. "What now? Are you going to stay with me? I was serious about giving you a place to stay."

"Oliver, I'm really grateful for the offer and everything and you have no idea how useful that book is but I have a little brother living in America that I need to get back to. We miss each other and the only reason I'm not there is because I wanted to learn from that book so I could defend myself better." Josh told him. "I'll give you the book back as soon as I've finished it and maybe in time I'll come find you but right now I have to think about my little brother."

Oliver sighed and sat next to him letting his trousers soak in the water as his legs went into the water. He didn't seem bothered. "I don't have any younger brothers but I think I can understand what you're saying. I'll give you a number, if you change your mind or you need help you can come to me."

"I think I'll take you up on that." Josh nodded.

"What now?" Oliver asked.

"We wait here." Josh told him. "Ajax will tell my friends where we are and Bart will come."

"Friends?" Oliver asked.

"I'm sorry, Oliver." Josh shook his head. "I like you and everything but it's not my place to tell you about them all without their permission. If he comes then I'll introduce you."

"Ok, I can accept that." Oliver nodded. "How will Bart get here?"

"Run." Josh shrugged knowing that Bart had admitted that much to Oliver before.

"Run?" Oliver frowned. "As in across the water?"

"If you run fast enough." Josh laughed. "It's a bit tiring keeping your balance across waves though, or so I'm told."

Oliver had a look of confusion on his face when Bart came to a stop behind him. His eyes widened as he took in the seated man. "Oliver Queen. You get around." Bart spoke up making Oliver turn to face him but Bart had already move and was next to Josh drawing him into a hug. Josh hissed in pain and Bart frowned at him.

Josh hugged him back gently. "Just a little cut. Oliver patched it up for me."

"Bart?" Oliver smiled at the younger boy. "It's good to see you again."

"You seem to have arrived at the perfect time." Bart pointed out.

Josh frowned and nudged the now sitting Bart. "Ease off Bart, he's been very helpful. Ajax even approves."

"Ajax is a whale, Josh." Bart told him. "I'm not trusting his judgement."

Josh turned to him and spoke simple. "I'd be dead right now if it wasn't for Oliver. The least we can do is trust him." Josh told him. "And according to Simon he never once tried to find you after you stole from him."

"You checked up on me?" Oliver asked.

"You knew about Bart's secret. I wasn't going to take the risk of you trying to track him down." Josh told him.

"I can understand that." Oliver nodded.

"AC's getting slow." Bart suddenly said.

"He's coming?" Josh asked.

"In case we needed to break you out." Bart shrugged.

Before anything else could be said Arthur was hauling himself out of the water and onto the side of the swimming platform. "You look wet." Josh told him.

"Funny." Arthur eyed him, then the wound at his side, the plaster on the back of his neck and then finally settled his eyes on Oliver.

"Arthur, this is Oliver Queen." Josh told his older brother. "He rescued me from the lab on Luthor's ship."

"I suppose I owe you my thanks then." Arthur told him and offered his hand. Oliver stood up and shook hands. Oliver was obviously in his early twenties and at least three years older than their eighteen year old friend but they were much the same size. Arthur pulled him away to talk to him, probably finding out what Oliver had planned but Josh let his head fall onto Bart's shoulder.

"Are you really ok?" Bart asked.

"I was just so full of drugs I couldn't concentrate on anything." Josh told him. "They electrocuted me once and took a couple of samples but I doubt they'll get anything from them."

"Did you tell him about your magic?" Bart asked.

"No." Josh shook his head. "I told him about my healing but I can change into my Leviathan form to get out of here."

"Let's go then." Bart told him.

"The least we can do is stay and talk to him, Bart." Josh sighed. Bart sighed but conceded.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A week or so later**

Josh was dreaming and for a change it was just a dream about himself and Bart lying on a sunny beach enjoying their freedom. It was interrupted as Josh gasped and shot upright waking both Bart and Arthur. Bart had been lying on his chest but his pained shout had been enough to wake Arthur who'd been sleeping a little way down the beach. Josh felt cold and clammy and his body shook violently as he felt the echoes of pain trickling through his nerves.

"Josh!" Bart shook him. They knew it wasn't a normal nightmare. Josh always woke from the silently and simply lay there trembling and that was even if he woke either of them. This time though he was panicking.

"It's Ryan. I can feel him!" Josh stood and yanked on his trousers, trainers and the nearest shirt he could find. His eyes were burning in anger.

"What's happening?" Arthur tried to soothe him with his hands on his upper arms. Josh spun to him with wild eyes. "Is he hurt?"

"Somebody's torturing him." Josh hissed.

"Take us with you?" Bart told him.

"No." Arthur shook his head. "We'll follow in a few days. You'll need all the energy you have once you get there and you'll collapse if you take even one of us around the globe."

Josh nodded and looked desperately at Bart. "We'll get there. I promise."

Josh nodded, delved into his magic and let it flow through him using the connection to Ryan forged by this healing powers. "Abige!"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Smallville**

Josh took in the scene even as the green light of his arrival faded into the late evening view. They were in the middle of one of the cattle fields about a third of the way from the town centre and the Kent Farm. It was dark already since it wasn't yet March but even still, Josh could make out the two figures easily.

Standing with a wand outstretched was a tall man dressed in black leather. He looked rather strangely dressed for a normal person but still acceptable. All the Wizards Josh had seen had dressed in similar clothing to this man. On the ground writhing in the after affects of whatever had caused that pain was Ryan. Josh's blood went cold and without even needing to concentrate his magic came to the fore. He held up his fist and the green light spread all around it. "Terra Eruptio!" Josh spat. A flash of green was the only warning the Wizard had before the ground under his feet exploded launching him away from Ryan in a cloud of dirt and stones.

"Abige!" Josh snapped and the world blurred as he transported himself in front of Ryan. He didn't even look down at his little brother, his entire attention was on the Wizard climbing quickly to his feet.

"So the little Potter brat does have power." The Wizard drawled before slashing his wand.

"Contego!" The Wizards invisible spell clanged as it hit the shimmer of air Josh had formed in front of him. The Wizard sneered at him before firing a beam of bright white light at him. Josh's shield collapsed and he felt the spell threaten to crush his ribs as he was sent to his knees.

"As defiant as that worthless Muggle Uncle." The Wizard leered at him. It was his last mistake. Josh saw red at the confession and his magic exploded outwards, barely controlled as it lashed out. The air boiled as green fire flashed away from him striking the Wizard who screamed as his body was obliterated. Josh reigned in his anger and fury and gasped in air that stank of ozone.

"Josh?" The weak voice behind him made Josh spin around and collapse onto the grass beside his little brother. His hands came up to grasp at Ryan's clothing and his hands bled white as his instincts demanded he heal Ryan of every little wound. His right arm was broken and cut open by a spell of some kind. Three ribs had been broken and a number of his muscles were ripped from the pain spell he'd been under.

"Ryan?" Josh let his forehead fall onto Ryan's.

"You're here?" Ryan sounded so desperate. Josh nodded and kissed his nose as he stared into Ryan's eyes.

"I'm not leaving you this time. It's time for me to come back, Ryan." Josh told him. "Now, I'm going to heal you."

"No, you're too tired." Ryan managed.

Josh shook his head and let his powers flood Ryan, healing everything he could. He could take away the lingering effects of torture but his bones healed over and his muscles smoothed over. Josh felt his own bones fracture and his muscles twist but it was such a small price to pay.

Josh sagged forwards as he finished and let his head fall onto Ryan's chest and his eyes shut. "Ryan? Can you call someone?"

"Yes." Ryan nodded letting Josh know he could sleep. Josh did just that.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Smallville Medical Centre**

Josh groaned as he woke up in a place he was really beginning to hate. At least he hated being in the beds, he loved working there and he had missed it in the last four months. He couldn't even swear that they always seemed to put him in the same room. He turned his head to see a sight that made him smile. Ryan was sound asleep in the small chair beside the bed with his messy hair flared out over Josh's right arm. It was early morning by the light shining through the half closed blinds, too early for morning rounds, which meant he could annoy the three interns working at the hospital if they were dragged in here.

Josh took stock of himself. His left leg was in a brace holding his knees and ankle carefully still which was a bit overkill for a fracture before Josh remembered his latent injury from the car crash. Of course they would have been far more cautious before of the weakened bones and Josh knew it would hurt far more than a normal fracture. His chest was once again bound rather tightly and he had stitches running up his lower left arm as well as a bandage over the top covering the slash he'd gotten from healing Ryan's far worse cut. He was glad that he was wearing a sweat band around his head and knew that one of his Nurse friends had thought about it and covered it up for him. That made him smile. He was glad to be home.

Josh leant over with his left hand and held it over Ryan's head. It glowed white as his powers reached out to scan his little brother. His muscles still ached a bit from whatever torture he'd been through but it would pass by the end of the day.

The door opened about half an hour later and Doctor Havermire walked in along with the three medical interns he was assigned to look after. The Doctor lifted his chart while one of the women checked his displays though apart from the drip going into his right hand under Ryan's head he wasn't connected to anything.

Josh grinned at the two young men of the group who smirked when they saw him looking at them. He'd shuttered his eyes when they walked in and obviously the first two hadn't noticed he'd been faking it.

"So what did I do this time, Josh?" Jacob, one of the interns asked.

"Oh you know. This and that." Josh smirked as Doctor Havermire jumped.

"For god's sake, Josh!" Doctor Havermire sighed. "You could have told me you were awake."

"I didn't want to wake Ryan by alerting the nurses station that I'm awake. It'd wake the whole hospital." Josh shrugged. "So, what's the verdict? Tell me before Ryan wakes up and finds out the damage."

"A fractured leg which as I'm sure you've realised we've been very careful with because of your old injuries." Havermire started. "Three fractured ribs which just need rest and a nasty incision on your left arm."

"A bit better than the last two visits then?" Josh asked. The first had been an all out massacre of his body and obviously the second time he'd been shot.

"Not funny." Havermire told him. "Ryan's been frantic and refused to go to school yesterday."

"Yesterday? I only got back yesterday." Josh frowned.

"Ryan called an ambulance the night before last after the two of you were attacked. You've been unconscious through yesterday and last night." Havermire told him.

"Damn, and there I was going to go shopping yesterday." Josh sighed and flashed a grin at the doctor's rolled eyes. "What about Ryan? Is he ok?"

"The ambulance treated him for shock and he told us that the man that attacked you shot him. We can't find any entry mark of any kind but his muscles suggest some kind of taser." Havermire told him. "He's on pain meds until the effect dissipates but it was prolonged exposure and he doesn't have complete control of his outer limbs."

"What's that mean?" Josh asked without a trace of his amusement from earlier.

"Yesterday he had trouble balancing on his feet at times and he couldn't hold a pen enough to write." Havermire told him. "It's just a side effect of the shock his muscles went through."

"You're sure?" Josh asked.

"I'm sure. I've had half a dozen of our doctors check him out knowing you'd rip us to shreds if we didn't." Havermire told him. "I'm going to quietly go tell the Nurses you're awake. You'll want some hot food I'm guessing."

"And some for Ryan." Josh told him.

"I know." Havermire laughed and led the interns from the room. Josh turned to look at the still sleeping Ryan and smiled. He nudged him gently and Ryan shot awake.

"Josh!" Ryan launched himself at him rather clumsily and Josh wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tightly. "You did it again!"

"What? Healing you?" Ryan nodded. "Of course I did. I told you I'd never let you get hurt if I could help you."

Ryan pulled away with tears in his eyes and Josh felt tears creep into his own. Ryan smiled at him gently and hugged him again. "I told them you'd just got back and we took a walk and a man attacked us. I told them I didn't see much after I felt pain."

"Oh, Ryan. You shouldn't have even felt pain." Josh told him knowing Ryan had felt a lot more pain then he'd admitted. Enough for Josh to have felt sick from across the globe. "I'll tell the man beat me up and then did a runner."

"Did you kill him?" Ryan asked.

Josh tensed but Ryan didn't let him go. "I..." Josh paused. "I did, Ryan. He admitted to killing Uncle Kev and I just lost it."

"He just grabbed me outside the Talon and we were just suddenly in that field. I felt his thoughts, I heard him thinking he'd draw you back to town by killing me." Ryan sobbed. "He...It hurt so much, Josh."

"What was it?" Josh asked.

"I didn't hear what the spell was but I felt like I was on fire." Ryan told him.

"Shh." Josh hugged him tightly letting himself cry. "It's over now."

"Did you mean what you said?" Ryan asked. "Are you going to stay?"

"From now on you don't stand a chance of getting rid of me. I'll be setting curfews, checking out all your dates, making you do your homework and everything you hate me doing." Josh laughed though he pressed his face into Ryan's hair and cried, ignoring the door as it opened and let somebody in.

Ryan didn't even try to get away for about five minutes when Josh looked up and opened his eyes to see Michael and Annie watching silently from the other side of the room. He gave them a weak smile but any reprimand from Annie would obviously wait until they were alone. "How are your hands, Ry?" Josh asked.

"A bit sore." Ryan told him. Josh leaned away and grabbed Ryan's hands in his own and massaged the cold fingers carefully.

"We've got some more pain killers and relaxants for him to take." Michael told Josh and handed Ryan a tub of small pills as soon as Josh let go of his hands. Ryan settled down into the chair again and swallowed the pills and drunk down a glass of Josh's water.

"Happy?" Ryan asked the three.

"Thrilled." All three said before laughing.

"Today you get to go to school." Josh told Ryan.

"What!?" Ryan stared at him in horror. "I'm not leaving you."

"I'm just going to be in bed all day, Ryan, and if you want to stay with me we have to prove that I can make you go to school." Josh told him. "Now, go call Clark and ask if he'd be willing to drive you in."

"Can I come back here after school?" Ryan asked.

"Sure." Josh smiled at him and glanced at the door. Ryan nodded and stood rather unsteadily. Josh narrowed his eyes at the imbalance but relaxed when Michael went with Ryan to make sure he'd be ok.

"He'll be fine, Josh." Annie assured him. "Most of his weakness is the muscle relaxants we're giving him to let his motor control get back to what it was. In a few days he'll be back to normal."

"Thanks, Annie." Josh smiled at her and accepted the quick hug she gave him.

"When can I leave?" Josh asked.

Annie laughed and shook her head. "Half the people in this place are demanding we keep you for at least a month but it's the sheriff that wants us to keep you here until they've had a good chance to search for your attacker."

"Ryan will be safe with Clark." Josh nodded even though he knew there wasn't a threat to Ryan anymore.

"We're all glad you're back, Josh." Annie told him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Late afternoon**

Josh was sitting in a wheelchair playing a very poor game of cards with a lovely old lady on the top floor when Ryan ran into the door barely following Michael. "Josh!"

"Hello, Ryan." Josh smiled and let the boy hug him. "Pennie, this is the adopted brother and ward I was telling you about."

"What a sweet young man." Pennie smiled. "Though a bit blustery."

"He has far too much energy at times." Josh told her.

"Well don't let me keep you." Pennie told him. "We won't lose much by ignoring this game and starting fresh another day."

"It's a date." Josh told her pocketing the letter she'd written that Josh had promised to type into an email to send to her daughter and son-in-law as soon as he could.

Josh relented and let Ryan push his wheelchair down the hall. He couldn't really do it himself with his sliced up left arm. "I've start driver's ed. soon you know."

"I've been dreading your birthday for months." Josh told him. He'd have to start planning the sweet sixteen soon, it was only a month away. He'd talk to Martha about it later, he was sure she had a few ideas already.

Ryan did a funny wiggle with the chair and Josh turned to look at him. "Alright!" Ryan whined. "I'll be sensible."

They took the elevator back to Josh's room and Ryan wheeled him inside. Josh jumped in the chair as he saw them all in his room. Martha and Jonathan were standing nearby while Clark, Lana, Chloe and even Pete were around the room. "Do I have to be the only one sitting down?" Josh asked.

"Next time don't break your leg." Chloe told him.

"It's a fracture." Josh corrected automatically. He motioned to Ryan to grab the crutch leaning on the wall and with Clarks help he pulled himself up to lean on it. "Thanks, Clark."

"It's good to have you back." Clark told him.

Lana and then even Chloe hugged him before Martha got hold of him and almost crushed him in her happiness at seeing him. "You're staying right?"

"I'm not too sure Smallville's big enough for me but I suppose I'll cope." Josh told her as she pulled away. He shook hands with Jonathan and then Pete. "I'll be back at school tomorrow."

"They letting you out?" Lana asked.

"I'm not all that bad." Josh shrugged but then regretted it as it pulled at his ribs. "A few fractures. The brace is only because of the car accident."

"Well it's good to have you back." Lana smiled at him, kissed his cheek before leading Pete and Chloe from the room.

Josh sighed and sat on the side of the bed. "Are you ok with Ryan at yours for the time being? I'll get the house sorted out after school tomorrow and then he can choose."

"I'm staying with you." Ryan announced. Jonathan laughed.

"I'm sure Clark and Ryan can help you get the house tidied up tomorrow after school." Martha offered.

"Sure." Clark nodded.

"The man that attacked you..." Jonathan started. "Is he one of the ones that attacked your Uncle?"

Josh winced at the mention of his Uncle but Ryan was the one that came to the rescue. "I heard his thoughts, it was him that killed Uncle Kev. He wanted to kill me to draw out Josh."

"But you told the Sheriff the two of you were together." Clark frowned.

"You didn't tell them?" Josh rounded on his little brother who winced. "Ryan!"

"What's he not told us?" Martha asked looking worried.

"These..." Josh motioned at his injuries carelessly. "Weren't originally mine."

"What!?" Clark stared at Ryan in horror.

"I was on my way back into town when I felt my healing powers telling me Ryan was being tortured." Josh half lied and saw the blood run out of all three of the others at the mention of torture. "The guy had already broken his leg and ribs and was torturing him."

"What happened?" Jonathan asked.

"I ran him off." Josh told him shortly leaving no doubt that he wouldn't discuss the rest of that part. "I healed Ryan's injuries but I can't take away the remnants of that type of torture."

"What type?" Martha looked about ready to pounce on Ryan who was looking more and more sheepish.

"The men that want me..." Josh started. "Some of them can cause pain without touching you. I've never seen it done before but what Ryan was under...well it's supposed to be every nerve ending in your body is being twisted with pliers."

Martha couldn't take it anymore and she gathered Ryan up to her. "Ryan..." She clutched at him and Ryan eventually relaxed into the hug.

"That's why Ryan had to lie about how we were attacked. The sheriff wouldn't be able to grasp my sudden arrival and the type of torture and if she tried too hard she'd attract more of them." Josh explained.

"Can we not talk about this anymore?" Ryan asked. "Josh is back and he's not going anywhere. We should be out celebrating."

"Maybe tomorrow, Ry." Josh told him glad for the change of subject. "How about we all go out for a meal. My treat."

"That's sounds wonderful, Josh." Jonathan nodded.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	14. The Good and the Bad

Outsiders

Chapter 14; The Good and the Bad

**Joshua's home**

Clark had picked Josh up from the hospital that morning along with Ryan and after school the three had driven back to Josh and Ryan's home with only a stop off at the town's supermarket for supplies.

Ryan waited for Josh to slide out of the car before hopping out and grabbing as many bags from the back of the car as he could. Clark easily hefted the last four and the two followed Josh up through the garden. Josh had to fumble with his keys since he had one arm through a crutch but he managed to get the door open without much more delay.

Josh winced at the sight of the house with its dustsheets and clear evidence that nobody had lived in it for the last three months. It was dry and cheerless. Josh went straight through into the kitchen and switched on some of the equipment, the cooker and fridge among them. He put the kettle on to make all three of them a drink. Being mid February it was rather cold.

"I put the heating on." Ryan announced as he came back into the room.

"Let's get hot drinks and then split up. Just gather up the dustsheets and Ryan can put sheets on our beds." Josh nodded. "Thanks again for the help, Clark."

"Don't mention it." Clark laughed. "You know my mom, she'd kill me if I left you two to sort out your own house."

"The man has a point." Ryan laughed.

Josh put the three mugs on the table as well as coffee, tea and chocolate pots. Ryan reached for the coffee pot but Josh slapped his hand away. Ryan grumbled under his breath but took the hot chocolate. Josh pushed his own mug towards him and Ryan grumbled again as he started spooning it into Josh's mug as well. Clark laughed at the two of them before reaching for the coffee. Josh poured water into all three mugs before putting milk into his own and Ryan's. Clark shook his head so Josh put the milk away even as Ryan stole the sugar and begun shovelling heaps of it into his drink as he smirked at Josh.

Josh wandered from the room with his mug in his hand and the crutch in the other. "Don't forget we're going to dinner in an hour."

Josh made his way through the house to the living room while Clark began in the dining room and he heard Ryan's footsteps on the stairs. Josh put his mug on the table after taking a deep mouthful and then began carefully folding the dustsheets. He began with the sound system and then switched it on and put in a CD before cranking the volume knowing that Ryan and Clark would be able to hear the Muse album as it played. The two sofas, reading chair, TV, bookshelf and coffee table followed.

He'd have to come around with a rag tonight or tomorrow and dust off everything that hadn't been covered up like the light fixings on the wall and the mantelpiece. Even as he thought it his eyes were drawn to the dusty picture frames above the fire place. He walked towards them and slowly reached out with his hand. He traced his fingers through the dust, clearing the front of one of the photos. A picture of himself and his Uncle from when they'd been staying in New York about two years ago.

His fingers shook as he cleared the front of a more recent photo of himself, Ryan and their Uncle from the end of the last year, just before Martha had lost the baby. He and Ryan were standing on either side of their Uncle and he had his arms around them both. An older photo showed Kevin and his sister from before they had met and another showed Josh and his Uncle from before they'd left England so many years ago.

His finger traced a photo of just Kevin and he only realised how long he'd been standing there when he felt a hand on his shoulder and he jumped around to see Clark standing in the darkness. Clark opened his mouth to speak but he shut it again when his eyes strayed to the photos on the mantelpiece. Josh turned away and wiped at his face with the sleeve of his hoodie but there was no way that Clark had missed the tears in his eyes. "I suppose we should've traded rooms." Josh tried to laugh but it came out rather weak.

"I really am sorry, Josh. I know how much he meant to you." Clark told him. Josh turned back to the photos and lifted the first one from the mantelpiece. "I can't really know how you must feel right now but I can imagine. If you need anything..."

Josh sighed out but nodded. "Thanks Clark."

Clark stepped up to his side and drew an arm around him. Josh was surprised but didn't move away as Clark let him turn into the hug. Clark wasn't Bart or Arthur but he was solid and calm. Josh hugged him and rested his head on his shoulder, ignoring the fact he'd never shared a moment like this with his friend. He knew that Clark must have comforted Ryan for the last three months.

"Mom and Dad have been worried that you've been alone living on the streets in some city somewhere." Clark told him when Josh pulled away, wiping at his eyes yet again.

"I've been with friends." Josh assured him.

"Where?" Clark asked.

"We were travelling, mostly around the Pacific." Josh told him honestly.

"You mean the west coast?" Clark asked.

"If you say so." Josh managed a weak smile.

"Ryan's really happy you're back." Clark told him.

"I know." Josh sighed. "I felt really bad for leaving but I had to and Ryan understands."

"He defended you a lot with Pete, Lana and Chloe." Clark nodded. "I admit that we didn't really think you should have left him but Ryan swore to me that you had a valid reason."

"I never liked that I had to leave but staying here did enough damage." Josh told him before turning to end the discussion. "Ryan! We need to go!" He yelled after checking his watch for the time.

"I'm coming!" Ryan yelled back from what seemed to be his own room. Josh ducked into the kitchen to wash his face but by the look that passed across Ryan's face when he came down the stairs he wasn't completely successful in hiding his little breakdown. Ryan hugged him quickly but they didn't linger knowing that they needed to get going if they weren't going to be completely late.

The restaurant in town wasn't that big but Josh, Ryan and their Uncle had been there quite a few times and it was generally rather peaceful. Martha and Jonathan were already there when the three boys walked in and they headed over to sit down. "You're cutting it a bit close." Jonathan laughed.

"A bit close?" Josh smiled. "We're ten minutes late. I got a bit distracted."

Josh pulled up the menu and pretended to ignore the look that passed between Clark and his parents. He knew that his eyes weren't completely back to normal but knew the Kents well enough to know they wouldn't bring it up.

"Are you ready to order your drinks?" The waiter asked.

Josh nodded to Jonathan as did Clark and Ryan and the five of them gave their orders. "So, Ryan told us you were staying with friends?" Martha asked when the waiter had left.

"Yeah, two guys I've known for a few years." Josh told her. "They're both misfits so we get on perfectly."

"Misfits?" Jonathan asked.

"Well one was kicked out of his home three years ago by his parents and the other's parents died a long time ago." Josh explained. "They prefer the free life. I don't think either of them could be pinned down to a single place long enough to say they weren't homeless."

"So what did you do?" Jonathan asked.

"We travelled mainly." Josh shrugged.

"Did you see anything interesting?" Clark asked.

Josh laughed. "Not really."

"Are we going to meet these friends of yours?" Martha asked.

Ryan snorted in amusement. "If you can get Bart to stay for dinner you'd get a medal!"

"Ryan." Josh laughed. "Besides I can get him to stay for dinner."

"That's just because..."

Josh nudged him in the foot and Ryan closed his mouth before grinning at him. "They're a bit private." Josh told Martha, "But if they ever decide to stay for any length of time I'll be sure to try to invite you all over for dinner."

"Speaking of which, how is the house?" Jonathan asked. Josh had to pause as they all ordered their food but once the waiter disappeared he shrugged at the man.

"It just needs a good shakedown." Josh shrugged. "It would be easier if I could carry stuff with two hands but I'll have this cast off this weekend."

"Well if you need anything fixed let Clark know." Martha told him. "He's quite good with that sort of thing and Jonathan would be happy to help out, wouldn't you?"

"Of course." Jonathan nodded.

They talked at length about Josh's plans and even though Josh didn't really have many he managed to appease them. It was a good dinner and Josh enjoyed himself and Ryan was quite obviously enlivened by the whole thing.

Josh tried to pay for the entire meal but when Martha and Jonathan refused he insisted on paying for his and Ryan's share and the two adults caved when they saw the determination there. Clark and Ryan just laughed at the whole thing.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That night**

Josh had been lying in bed for three hours and given up trying to sleep when the small sound of his door swinging open attracted his attention. He lifted his head and saw Bart standing in the light from the moon coming through the window. Bart didn't waste any time in stripping down to his boxers and sidling under the covers with Josh. He curled up to Joshua's side. "You always manage to get yourself into trouble."

"Maybe you should stay here and keep an eye on me then?" Josh suggested. He'd called Bart as soon as he'd had a chance to tell him about the Wizard he'd killed. Josh didn't wait for an answer and nuzzled into Bart's neck as if he'd been joking. He never wanted Bart to be tied down here for his benefit if it made him miserable. "Just make sure you check your messages."

"Of course." Bart told him and kissed his chest gently.

There was a small startled sound from the doorway and both looked up to see Ryan hiding behind the door. Even in the dark Josh could see Ryan was half naked and he was crying. Josh sat up quickly. "It's okay, Ryan, we're not doing anything."

"I..." Ryan glanced at Bart nervously.

"It's alright, twerp." Bart sat up further and surprised Josh by sliding out of bed. "I'll just steal your bed."

"Oh..." Ryan glanced nervously between Josh and Bart.

"Ryan, you know I wouldn't ever turn you away. Bart won't admit it but he loves you just as I do." Josh told him seriously and grabbed Bart's hand to plead with him to stay.

"I won't stay unless Ryan wants me to." Bart told them both quietly. "He needs you."

"I don't mind." Ryan sighed and turned to leave to room. Josh tried to get up to follow him but with his cast he couldn't. Bart was between Ryan and the door before Ryan could even put his hand on the door handle.

Bart opened his arms, obviously seeing something on Ryan's face, probably a look of desperation. Ryan stumbled forwards and Bart wrapped him up in his arms, hugging him tightly even as Ryan began crying again freely. Bart slowly walked Ryan over to the bed and with some manoeuvring on all of their parts Ryan curled up against Josh who hugged him and Bart hugged them both from Josh's other side.

"Was it another nightmare, Ry?" Josh asked. Ryan nodded and buried his face in Josh's chest.

"It wasn't real, Ryan." Bart spoke up quietly and Josh smiled over at his boyfriend who held the back of Ryan's neck as he cried. Bart continued to whisper gentle things in Ryan's ear to soothe him and slowly Ryan fell asleep on Josh's chest.

"Not so much a street rat." Josh smiled at Bart sappily. "Seriously, Bart. Thank you."

"You were right." Bart told him before kissing his cheek gently. "I do love him. It's nice to have a little brother like him."

"You're turning into a sap, you know that right?" Josh asked. Ryan moaned and muttered in his sleep. Bart leaned over and kissed the boy on the side of his head and Josh could feel Bart's left hand rubbing circles in Ryan's back, soothing him out of his troubled sleep.

"I'm still a street rat." Bart told him. "Does he normally go back into a nightmare so fast?"

"Sometimes," Josh paused as Ryan twitched violently in his sleep. "If he does though he'll spend the whole night switching through them."

Josh shifted backwards up the bed knowing exactly how to deal with Ryan when he was in this state. He pulled Ryan onto his lap so he was curled up against his chest and Bart shifted to hug them both, boxing Ryan in with both his older brothers hugging him. "Can you sleep like that?" Bart asked.

Josh shook his head. "I don't mind staying up. If I'm not here to soothe him he'll slip into a nightmare properly and there'll be screaming and crying. It's not fair to him."

"A kid like him shouldn't even have nightmares like that." Bart frowned.

"It's his mind reading ability." Josh sighed. "He witnessed a lot of really bad thoughts when he had them at full swing and it's not pleasant to have that in your head. Plus he relived my own life when I healed him."

Bart winced and snuggled Ryan further into himself, hugging Josh tighter as he did. "I'll try to get some sleep, I've been running all day, but if you get too tired, wake me up and I'll take over."

Josh leaned down and kissed Bart soundly on the lips before letting Bart fall asleep. He stayed up for the whole night as Ryan and Bart slept. Ryan's sleep was pained and anxious and Josh had to almost constantly soothe him to calm his dreams down. Ironically, Bart's dreams were the complete opposite and Josh could feel the effect it had on his boyfriend against his leg. If it wasn't for the fact Ryan was snuggled up to him, he'd have trouble not responding to it.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A week later**

Josh, with his cast finally off of his leg, pulled up in front of the Kent Farm. He'd had a shift at the hospital followed by a check up with the Orthopaedic specialist who had taken off his cast and declared him out of murky water. Michael had stuck around for his appointment and then driven him home where he'd picked up his Jeep and headed to pick Ryan up from the farm. They were due to see a film that Lana had picked for them at the Talon.

He knocked on the door and a moment later Martha opened the door and let him in. "How many times have I told you to just walk in, Josh?" She asked him.

"Probably several hundred." Josh shrugged. "Is Ryan about?"

"He's out horse riding with Clark." Martha told him and led him to the kitchen counter. "Clark promised to have him back in time. I think Ryan invited him to the film, I hope that's okay."

Josh laughed and shrugged. "I think Ryan's scared I'm going to run off again, the only time he's not attached to my side is when we're in classes or I'm working. The more time he spends with Clark the better."

"Hey, Joshua." Josh turned and nodded at Jonathan as he walked in.

"Hi, Mr. Kent." Josh smiled at him.

"I saw the horses up on Jacob's mound so they'll probably be about twenty minutes." Jonathan told him.

"That's good. I wanted to talk to you away from Ryan anyway." Josh told them and pulled a satchel bag onto his lap and then pulled out a small wad of paper. "Item one." He grinned at them and Martha chuckled. "This is my timetable for the next month. I've sorted out my shifts with the hospital so that they're the same every week and my school work is there too."

"Is there a reason you want us to see this?" Jonathan asked.

"Of course." Josh nodded but didn't elaborate yet. "Ryan's timetable is there too, when he needs to stay here because I'm not home for the evening and when he can be home alone."

"You know he's welcome here any time, you don't need to plan it all out." Martha frowned but then her eyes widened. "Do you?"

"Technically no, but when Lionel Luthor's leading lawyers are pointing Metropolis Judges in Ryan and my direction it's best to have something like this." Josh told them.

"You have got to be kidding..." Jonathan sat down in a seat heavily.

Josh snorted. "It's nothing to do with legal obligation and so on but I've talked to Simon and he agrees. We're cracking in on this undue attention and Lionel's attempts while I was gone as cause for the restraining order I put against them. He's trying to put it forward that a seventeen year old, grieving over his Uncle's recent murder is not a fit guardian for a troubled fifteen year old with a bad background."

"Could that work?" Martha asked.

"Normally with just that, no." Josh shook his head. "But Lionel got into my sealed records dealing with the hearing to grant Uncle Kevin custody of me."

"I'm not sure I follow." Jonathan frowned.

"He's trying to make people think that somebody with my abused past can't be trusted in raising another child with a past like Ryan's." Josh explained.

"Abused past?" Martha frowned in concern.

"These, Mrs. Kent, weren't done for show." Josh waved at the scar across his throat and his sweat band. Both were things he knew the Kents took for granted now. They looked ready to ask and Josh sighed and looked out a side window. "I hate to bring this up but with your joint custody of Ryan, Simon thinks you need to know in case Lionel tries to use the fact you don't know my past to his benefit. I'd rather this didn't become public knowledge though, not even to Clark. He has a habit of being too honest with his friends."

"Of course, Josh." Martha frowned. "Anything you tell us stays with us."

"Even though the courts eventually pardoned Uncle Kev he technically kidnapped me when I was eight." Josh paused for their shocked gasps. "My parents, as you might have guessed, are dead." They nodded slowly. "They were murdered by one of the people hunting me now when I was still a baby, trying to get to me. More of the people hunting me, from a different group, put me with my relatives. My mother's sister and her family. My Aunt's husband did these."

Josh pushed up the sweat band to bare the burn over the scar. "The bolt shaped scar is from when my parents were killed but the burn was when I was six and my Uncle got tired of the looks that people gave me because of the scar. He tried to burn it off with a fire poker." Josh pulled the sweat band back over his scar and gently touched the one at his throat. "This one is rather obvious I suppose. My Uncle tried to slit my throat when I was eight in what he thought was an empty multi-story car park. Uncle Kev scared him and he ran but Uncle Kev had been watching the abuse for two months already and had reported it a dozen time without any response so after the hospital stopped the bleeding he kidnapped me."

"Josh, we don't know what to say." Martha gasped.

"It's a long time in the past." Josh shrugged. "I suppose I still get emotional about it at times, like when Clark did that weird thing and stole my sweat band."

"And suggested your parents had done it to you." Jonathan winced violently.

"I don't really want to know why he said it." Josh shook his head and finally met their eyes. "But you know why Uncle Kev was granted custody and now if Lionel suggests you're blind in this you can say you're not."

"So why the timetables?" Martha asked trying to change the subject.

"To show that my management of Ryan is being monitored by a pair of responsible adults who have already proven themselves as responsible parents." Josh told them. "I need you to read these over, sign the declaration at the bottom to show you agree, and then keep them."

"Of course." Jonathan nodded. "Is there any need to actually read it or can we just sign them."

"I could do with some hints now and then." Josh pointed at the timetable and they nodded.

"If you ever need advice with dealing with him then please, just let us know." Martha told him. "And if you ever need anything...personally...you can always come to us."

Josh nodded and smiled. "On a lighter note, Ryan's birthday."

Martha grinned. "We had a few ideas, to be honest it's been a bit hard to catch you without Ryan around."

"What did you have in mind?" Josh asked.

"We were thinking about holding a party at the Talon. Ryan really loves it there." Martha told him.

"That's what I thought." Josh nodded. "Have you asked Lana?"

"We wanted to run it passed you first." Martha chuckled.

"I'll ask her at school tomorrow." Josh assured them. "You might imagine I have another problem."

"A gift?" Martha laughed.

"I'm not really very good at getting presents for people. Not if I'm the one supposed to get the main gift." Josh sighed. "I've only thought of one thing that I think would really make him happy but I've never seen him out there with Clark and Lana."

"What did you have in mind?" Jonathan asked.

"A horse of his own." Josh sighed feeling rather stupid suggesting it. "Every time he comes back in with Clark or Lana after going riding he glows and he talks for hours about it. I think he likes horses, their minds aren't like ours so he can't hear them and he likes how gentle they are and how they love their owners when well treated. I think he wants that."

"We had thought of a horse but we don't really have that option. We can't afford it right now." Jonathan said, admitting for the first time that they had money problems. Josh knew better than to offer anything, but he had made it clear in the custody agreement that Ryan's future had no monetary limits and that Josh would help them out for Ryan's sake.

"But I have the money." Josh nodded. "If I could rent one of your stables and pay for the feed. I think Ryan would really love that. As it is he can't go out with Clark _and _ Lana."

"I don't think going with the two of them is really a problem right now." Martha sighed.

"Oh right. I noticed something was up but I haven't really had the chance to talk to Lana this week. I've have to hunt her down." Josh shook his head derisively. "So what do you think?"

"I think it's a wonderful idea." Martha told him. "But you should ask Lana to take you and Ryan to choose the horse. She knows more about them than anybody else in Smallville."

"And you don't need to pay for the stable and the feed isn't a problem. With the herds it really makes no difference." Jonathan told him.

"Mr. Kent. To be honest with you the cost of the rent and the feed would barely make a dent in the interest my accounts earns each month." Josh told him.

"We don't want your money." Jonathan told him.

"It's not doing me any good." Josh almost snapped. "I don't take favours from people unless I need it and you've done enough for me and Ryan without asking for anything in return. The money does nothing for me and you'll take it because you deserve to be paid for stabling a horse."

Jonathan blinked at him but it was Martha who snorted first. Josh sighed. "I know you hate anything that looks like charity but if you're looking after a horse for Ryan then you deserve to be paid for it."

"Alright, Josh." Jonathan sighed. "We'll sort that out later but don't expect me to accept anything overly generous."

"I wouldn't insult you by trying." Josh laughed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Smallville High School**

Josh was drawing in his diary. It was a double sketch that blurred together over the span of a double page. Rather difficult to do with the page break. The right side was taken up with an endless plain while the other side was a drawing of both himself and Ryan attached at the hip with Ryan's arm around his waist and his own arm around Ryan's shoulders. Ryan's head was on Josh's shoulder. It was done in a soft pencil but his current troubles were rather obvious in his work. The scar on his own neck was angry and thick and he held Ryan tightly and protectively.

The endless plain was blank so far as Josh finished up the joint background, an endless tunnel of darkness with shadowy forms in the background. The same tunnel that his Uncle had protected him from for so long, the tunnel that the Wizards lingered at the other end of, waiting for him to fall down it. He began work on the front of the plain drawing the twisted view of his Uncle's tombstone. He didn't see the carved stone as a linear thing, it was everywhere in his life and his twisted view of it was going down into his sketch.

"You really do zone out when you're drawing." Chloe's voice made him jump. He shouldn't have been surprised to see her here since this was the Torch. He looked up at her but noticed she was leaning on her desk opposite where he was sitting on the window desk like always. "Shouldn't you be revising?"

Josh snorted. "I've finished those make up exams." He'd had a series of tests thrown at him in his spare time by all of his teachers to find out if he'd missed too much to finish the year.

"And?"

"And what?" Josh grinned.

"Do you think you passed?" She pressed.

"They were easy." Josh shrugged. He saw her trying to look at his sketch and was surprised she hadn't already gotten a look. She could have stared all she liked before she'd announced her presence. Josh sighed and spun the book to show her the drawing. Her eyes widened in surprise. "You're an awesome artist."

"So I've been told." Josh shrugged before snapping the book shut.

"Was that...?" She trailed off.

"My Uncle's gravestone?" Josh asked and then nodded. "Ryan took me to see it a couple of days ago."

She winced. "Did you need something?"

"I need to talk to Lana about something without Ryan around." Josh told her.

"His birthday's coming up right?" She tilted her head. "You know he expects you to forget."

"Really?" Josh was shocked enough that he dropped his books. "How? What?"

She laughed. "He knows you've had so much on your mind this last week. He said he mentioned it when you were in the hospital but he feels guilty for bringing it up. He said it was such a pointless thing."

"It's his first birthday." Josh told her sadly and she winced. "He's never had one before. I think he's scared to get his hopes up and have them shattered again."

"Well if I know one thing about you it's that he need not worry about that any longer." Chloe laughed. "You'd never let this pass without making it special."

"Exactly." Josh nodded. "So don't you dare try to skip out on the party."

She laughed again and the two turned to look at the door as Lana walked in with Ryan. Chloe glanced at Josh before hopping up. "Great! Josh wouldn't come to the cafeteria with me. Ryan, you'll be a darling and come right?"

Ryan raised his eyebrows at her but stumbled backwards out of the room as Chloe dragged him along behind her. Josh laughed at his shocked look and Lana stared out into the hall in shock. "What was that all about?" Lana asked.

"Chloe knows I wanted to talk to you without Ryan around and since you're currently avoiding Clark like the plague it's been hard to find you." Josh told her. She opened her mouth to defend her current reaction to Clark's pleasant. "Lana, honestly, I don't care about whatever tiff you currently have with Clark. If you believe he was the reason you got hospitalised then I'm not going to argue otherwise."

"You weren't there." Lana accused.

"Precisely." Josh shrugged. "I just said I wasn't getting involved."

"Then what did you want." Lana snapped and dumped her bag on the side. Josh just watched her and eventually she sagged into a seat and rubbed her head. "Sorry. I shouldn't snap at you."

"I'm used to it. I'm far too observant for my own good." Josh grinned at her cheekily. "I wanted to ask you for a favour. Can I rent the Talon on the eighteenth of March?"

Lana frowned as if trying to remember something. "Sure...why?"

"It's Ryan's birthday and I want something loud and reassuringly cheerful for him." Josh explained. "It's kind of his first birthday party and anything he gets will be his first birthday presents."

"Oh. Of course." Lana told him. "We'll get together sometime and plan it all out. Everybody loves Ryan. It'll be great for him."

"Exactly." Josh nodded. "I also want to ask you for a more personal favour. Has he given any hint that he wants to get his own horse?"

"He barely stops." She laughed. "Whenever we go riding he talks about what kind he's going to get when he's older."

"Let's hope he knows what he wants." Josh smiled at her.

"Really?" Lana gasped after a few moments. "You're going to get him one for his birthday."

"You don't think I should?" Josh raised his eyebrows.

"No! It's a wonderful idea." Lana laughed.

"His birthday is the Sunday. I was hoping to go to Rinchards on the Saturday with him to choose one." Josh told her.

"Rinchards is one of the best, but they're expensive." Lana worried her lip.

"The cost doesn't really matter to me, Lana." Josh pointed out. "The reason I want to go there is the choice it offers. I wanted to ask if you'd come with us. I know nothing about horses."

"I'd be happy to come." Lana nodded enthusiastically.

"Great." Josh smiled again. "Thanks."

"No problem," Lana nodded. "Thanks for the warning about his birthday too. I'll find something good to give him myself."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Days later – Smallville Medical Centre**

Josh was lurking in the ground floor nurses station when Michael found him. "That Kent boy is upstairs in the neurological ward."

"Neuro?" Josh frowned. "What did he manage to do?"

"Doctor Grasit is looking him over." Michael shrugged. "Something about a robbery down in the town."

"I might go check on him." Josh told them.

"Hey, it's not like they pay you or anything." Michael chuckled. "Go run riot or something."

Josh laughed but slipped out of the glassed in station and to the elevators and up to the neurological wing. He paused at the nurses station for that floor and found out which room Clark was assigned to before heading that way.

He saw Doctor Grasit coming out of the room and stopped him. "Doctor?"

"Oh, Josh. I wondered if you'd be by."

"What happened?"

"As far as I can see there's some serious scaring in his retina. Honestly I was ready for cornea damage from shattered glass or even sound damage to the vitreous fluid but nothing like this. It's almost as if his retina was burned. Like a flash bang or firework to the face. I can't explain it."

"What about tests?" Josh asked.

"I've done a visual inspection and I know why he can't see but Mr. Kent is tying my hands. He won't allow a blood test which could rule out infections." Grasit shrugged. "I've given them permission to go but I was just going to get an AMA form."

"I'll do that and if it makes you feel any better I'll keep an eye on it." Josh told him.

"Nobody likes to think about something like this happening to Martha and Jonathan's kid." Grasit sighed before biting his lip. "You know you're not allowed to do more than first aid out of the hospital but keeping an eye on his retinas isn't actual medicine. Get the nurses to loan you a scope. You know what to look for?"

"Definitely." Even though he assured the Doctor he knew he asked a few questions to be sure. Josh headed back to the admin office to pick up the form and then eventually managed to get into the room with a form in his hand and a boxed scope in his pocket.

"Josh." Martha sighed in relief at the sight of him.

"You never cease to amaze me." Josh laughed trying to get some of the depressed look off of their faces. He took Clark's hand in reassurance and the boy relaxed. "I've dealt with plenty of blind people before Clark." Josh told him and the surprised look.

"The doctor can't work out what's wrong." Jonathan told him.

"And you've tied his hands rather well if not gotten yourself put on the radar." Josh shook his head. "I'm not going to force you to lie by asking what happened. There's enough weird stuff in this town to just assume some weird Chloe-fied power did it."

"Chloe-fied?" Clark asked in surprise.

"Hey, it's been a long day." Josh chuckled before putting a form on the desk. "The discharge is against medical advice and Clark has to sign to leave."

"I would say show me where to sign." Clark muttered with attempted humour.

Josh laughed properly as Martha attempted a faked laugh that didn't cover her nervousness. Josh took Clark's hand again and handed him a pen before moving it to the right place on the form. Clark signed and took his hand back quickly.

"Can we go home now?" Clark asked and Josh winced slightly. Clark enjoyed his individuality too much and had always been strong and independent. This would be painful for him.

"My shift's ended. How about I come back with you?" Josh offered. "I'll have a look back at the farm." Josh shook his head at Martha and Jonathan when they went to thank him.

"You're driving?" Clark asked making Josh look at him.

"Yeah, wanna take a spin?" Josh offered brightly. Clark nodded. "Excellent. I was going to offer anyway, I need to talk about Ryan's birthday with you privately."

Martha looked less worried about Clark's odd behaviour after that and Josh led Clark out of the hospital taking the back corridors down to the staff car park. Incidentally using a different route than Martha and Jonathan. "Thanks, Josh."

"For what?" Josh asked.

"Don't be a smartarse." Clark told him with a small grin.

Josh laughed. "Alright. I thought you could use the space for a while."

Josh paused to let Clark get into his car and then circled the car to get into his own. "So are you going to be able to heal this?" Clark asked.

"I won't know till I look at it." Josh told him.

"But do you think you will?" Clark pressed.

"I'm not going to answer that, Clark. Not till I look." Josh told him. Clark sighed and put his head back onto the head rest.

"Sorry, Josh. I shouldn't take this out on you." Clark apologised once they were driving down the road.

"I can't imagine what it's like for you, Clark." Josh told him truthfully. "But you've got good parents and good friends. And Ryan adores you too much to let this bother him."

That brought a smile to Clark's face. "I've brought him a chain for his birthday." Josh knew there was more so he waited. "When my mom hit him with the car and then me and Chloe found his bag at the side of the road, there was a photo of him and his mum in his bag and he was playing with a small silver chain. He told me he thought it was his."

"That's a great gift." Josh grinned. His agreement was in his tone.

"You think he'll like it?" Clark sounded unsure.

"He'll love it." Josh assured him.

Clark didn't say much for the rest of the journey and waited tensely as Josh parked and walked around the car to guide him to the door. To make it less like he was purely there to guide him, Josh pulled out his phone to called Ryan. He was studying at his friend's house and Josh was supposed to be picking him up on the way home. Josh passed him over to Clark and Clark told him what had happened.

Clark used it as a good way to avoid his parents as they looked like they wanted to pamper him. Josh tugged Martha back rather unceremoniously when she tried to follow Clark into the living room.

"Somebody needs to watch him." Martha complained.

"Really?" Josh asked. "It seems to me like he could walk around this place in his sleep."

"He needs to know we're going to help him." Martha told him.

"No." Josh shook his head. "He needs to know he can do this without constant help."

"This can't be permanent." Martha told him. "We just need to help him through it."

"Clark has major scarring on both retinas. Medically speaking he's blind." Josh told her. "If you start treating him like he's helpless he'll start thinking it."

"But..." Martha started.

"No, Martha." Jonathan sided with Josh. "He's right. If there is any chance that this is permanent we need to let him know it's not going to affect the rest of his life."

"Let's go see if it is permanent shall we?" Josh offered and led them into the front room. Clark was just hanging up. "Hey, Clark. Ready?"

"For what exactly?" Clark asked. "I wasn't awake the last time."

"I'm going to have a look the normal way." Josh told him.

"And the normal way is?" Clark asked with a small grin.

"Stick a bright light in your eye." Josh laughed as he pulled out the scope and turned on the light. He placed his left hand over Clark's eye and held up the eyelid before Clark could flinch. "And look through your pupil to the retina."

"At least it doesn't sound painful." Clark snorted.

"If you weren't blind you'd have a rather blinding headache from the light." Josh told him before switching to the other eye. He let go of Clark. "I can see the scarring. I can show you if you want." He offered Jonathan and Martha who both shook their heads.

"Now I'm going to be honest with you." Josh told them. "I've healed two people with cornea damage but the only person I've seen with this kind of damage couldn't regain his eyesight."

"Why not?" Clark asked. "You can heal the scarring right?"

"Yeah." Josh agreed with him. "But under normal circumstance the thing that causes this kind of damage shorts out the Optic nerve and I can't heal that kind of damage."

"Why not?" Clark asked.

"It would be like giving life to a severed limb." Josh told him. "I'm going to take a look, you might feel a strange sensation behind your eyes but try not to move them about too much."

Josh brought his hand up to cover Clark's eyes and the other boy flinched as Josh pushed his powers into him. His hand glowed white and he shut his eyes to 'listen' to his ability. It was almost thirty seconds before he pulled away. "I'm not going to heal the scarring." Josh announced.

"But you could?" Clark asked desperately.

"Yeah but it wouldn't cure your eyesight. That needs to 'reset' on its own, if it will." Josh explained. "If I heal your retinas your body may not try to get your site back. I'd rather leave it to heal naturally before I interfere."

"So what do I do in the meantime?" Clark asked.

"Learn to cope with it, I'm afraid." Josh told him. "Rest your eyes as much as possible. Don't sit staring at the sun just because you can't see it. Don't go get an x-ray of your eyeballs. Don't do any drugs. Don't drink alcohol, don't go to raves. Don't go skydiving."

"Oh because I do all those things normally." Clark told him sarcastically.

"And the last and most important. If Ryan wants to play basketball against you let him because he really needs as much help as he can get." Clark laughed and Josh squeezed his shoulder. "I'll swing by on the way to school tomorrow and be your chauffer."

"You don't have to do that." Clark complained. "I'll take the bus."

"Hey. I know the sort of kids at our school. They kept trying to trip me up after my car crash. They're not the sort to let a blind kid walk freely." Josh told him. "Besides, Ryan will try to beat anybody up that tries to insult you and he's a real wuss and I'll have to bail him out."

Clark laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Definitely." Josh slapped him on the shoulder.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A few days later**

"Well, you don't have to worry anymore." Josh assured Clark with a nod as he backed away and lowered his hands. "While not back to full strength your vision is on the rebound."

Josh pulled out the scope to verify his findings from his abilities. He turned on the light and shone it in Clark's eyes. The poor boy flinched and shielded his eyes. "Josh!" Ryan thumped him.

"What?" Josh asked innocently even as Martha and Jonathan laughed. "I was just checking his sensitivity to light."

"You could have asked." Clark muttered.

"Where's the fun in that?" Josh asked and dodged away from Ryan who tried to slap him on the arm again. He turned to Martha and Jonathan. "I just came from the hospital. Pete was released several hours ago. He only has a few rope burns and bruises."

"We're glad." Martha nodded.

"Right, twerp." Josh slung an arm around Ryan's shoulders. "There's a stack of plates in the sink with your name on it."

"Why do I have to do it?" Ryan whined.

"Feel free to start cooking instead." Josh told him even over Martha's giggles. "For that matter if you really think it's unjust you can start doing your own laundry too."

"I'm not supposed to do dishes and laundry and cooking." Ryan complained. "I'm only fifteen!"

"Oh, how trying your life must me, Ryan." Josh mocked sighed. "If only I could ease your pains. Bye Mr. Kent. Bye Mrs. Kent. See you tomorrow at school, Clark."

"Bye!" Clark laughed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A week later**

Josh was walking through the corridor with Ryan at his side. Classes had just finished and they were on their way to Ryan's locker. They were just about to pass the Torch's doorway when it smashed open and Josh was sent off balance by a flying Chloe. Ryan instinctively tried to grab him but only ended up tipping over as well. Chloe rolled away and ran for it before Josh could stop her and he was on his feet to watch Lana rush out of the Torch, take in the scene, and sprint off after Chloe.

"What the fuck was that?" Ryan gasped as he pulled himself to his feet.

"Not a clue and watch your language, Ry." Josh recriminated half heartedly. He'd been thinking the exact same thing anyway. "Go find help."

With that Josh took off after the two girls. Whatever was happening went beyond any argument the two could be having and he knew Lana was good at martial arts after learning so much after that episode with the drunk at the Talon. Chloe would be hard pressed to defend herself. He saw girls fleeing from the sports changing room and burst in without a second thought just in time to see Lana deliver a nasty kick to Chloe's mid section, sending the wind clear out of her and sending her flying backwards through the door into the showers.

"Yo! Lana!" Josh yelled but was ignored. He jumped forwards and grabbed her arm but had to duck and twist as she spun and sent a cutting punch his way. He swept out her feet and she tumbled onto her back before flipping back onto her feet with little effort. Josh sized off to her but she seemed far too impatient to fight properly and she lashed out with a rather haphazard kick that Josh twisted away from. He grabbed her foot and spun, using his arms to push her into the lockers. She elbowed him rather painfully in the lower ribs and he backed away with a hand on his ribs and was too slow to block a roundhouse kick from her heeled shoes that smacked right into the same set of ribs. The blow was cushioned only by his hand which went numb.

Josh feinted to the left and she twisted but couldn't recover fast enough as Josh tipped himself around and forward in a five-forty kick that delivered a rather strong stunning blow to Lana's undefended shoulder that sent her flying backwards and down onto her knees. Josh recovered and turned to restrain her only to see Lana tip forwards with a boy Josh didn't recognise standing behind her with the handle of a fire axe in his hand. He'd hit her with the blunt end.

"I hope I knocked out the right person." The boy winced.

Josh eyed him for a moment. "Thanks." He dashed passed the boy to where Chloe was sitting against the wall. "Chloe! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine as long as people stop trying to kill me." Chloe grouched out.

"Uh," Josh raised his eyebrows before noticing the blood running down Chloe's forehead. "We need to get both of you to the hospital."

"She's awake." The other boy told him. Josh stood but saw none of the cold look that had been in Lana's eyes before. Only confusion.

"What happened?" Lana gasped out in pain.

"I don't know. Ask my ribs." Josh hissed just as the Principle and half a dozen other people ran into the room.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Torch – A few days later**

Josh sat awkwardly in the empty Torch using his usual desk as Chloe slowly set up an old computer. "I'm sorry about this, Chloe." Josh told her. He was waiting for Ryan and had seen Chloe working alone in the rather derelict office. The latest crises had come to an end. Somebody had been brainwashing people with emails, they'd managed to get Clark to try to run Chloe off the road and then Lana to attempt to kill her in the corridors of the school. It turned out to be a woman that was working for Summerholt Institute. The place that Ryan had been held. It was a good thing really that Chloe had kept to her restraining orders and not stored Josh or Ryan's details on the school computers since that was what the woman was using to target her.

That brought him to this derelict room. Just before everything had started LuthorCorp had taken back the donated computers and with it Chloe's harddrive with all her friends' details on it. "I know Lionel fired you from the Daily Planet and he's doing this as revenge because you refused to give him anything on us."

"You didn't give me much choice." Chloe told him.

"But I didn't tie your hands with Clark." Josh pointed out. "For what it's worth I'm proud of you. It shows that no matter your quest for the truth there are some lines you won't cross."

"How do you know about what happened at the Daily Planet?" Chloe asked and finally stood up to look at him.

"When I heard about the computers I asked my lawyer to look into it and he found out the rest from a source in the Daily Planet." Josh told her. Chloe sighed. "Friends are more important than any of this stuff, Chloe."

"This from the guy that refused to befriend anybody in the school to start with." Chloe retorted.

"That was a defensive mechanism." Josh shrugged. "So anyway, Chloe, I've told Simon to rescind the restraining orders against you and the citation against your father is now null and void."

"Really?" Chloe asked. They'd gotten rather lax with it lately but there were some things that Chloe had dutifully made sure to avoid. Like storing anything about the two in her house or computers, or being with Ryan outside of school even with others around.

"I've made sure that neither are in your permanent files so it shouldn't come back to bite you in the arse." Josh told her.

"How did you manage that one?" Chloe asked. Josh smirked at her. "Sorry."

Josh laughed kindly. "On that note, you'd better come to Ryan's birthday party in two weeks and you'd better get him a gift. I'm planning on stringing up anybody that attempts to make his day miserable."

Before Josh could stop her he was being hugged tightly. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

"You doubted me?" Josh asked, faking hurt. "That's harsh."

She laughed. "How are your ribs?"

"Man, that girl knows how to use heels!" Josh groaned prodding at his side. "I've never seen somebody so determined to kill one of her best friends before. And I thought Metropolis was violent enough!"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A few days later – Smallville High**

Because of his old injuries Josh wasn't expected to be able to run track with everybody else. What was expected and what was truth was another matter. His left leg always hurt afterwards but Josh always pushed himself to his limits to keep up with everybody else and he didn't ever lag behind. Because of the number of times he'd hurt the leg it sometimes gave him problems, usually on cold mornings, but he refused outright to favour it.

He was coming to the end of the track when he caught up with Clark who was following Lana off the track. He was glad that the two had gotten passed some of their more tense moments and were at least talking to each other again. Ryan was definitely glad about that.

"Hey, Clark." Josh gasped out. "Couldn't you at least pretend to be tired?"

Clark gave him a startled look but laughed quietly when he saw Josh's cheeky look. Josh turned back to the road and saw that Lana was chatting to a boy by the water bleacher. They both reached out for a cup at the same time and their hands touched. Josh paused as the boy jerked and sent the cup skittering across the table. He turned and Josh gasped in recognition at his face. Before Josh could say anything though the boy walked away and was caught by the gym teacher. Again the teacher reached out and touched his shoulder causing the boy to jerk away and run away across the track.

Josh grabbed Clark's arm to stop him chasing him and sighed. "It's none of our business."

Clark turned to look at him. "I'm supposed to be mentoring him. He's a new kid called..."

"Jordan Cross." Josh nodded. Clark gave him a sharp look. "I knew him from Metropolis. I'm just surprised to see him. His father always insisted on homeschooling. He's a bit skittish."

"Clearly." Clark shook his head. "I'm supposed to be meeting him in half an hour in the gymnasium."

"I'm come with you. We're friends." Josh told him.

They changed and waited in the gymnasium for Jordan but he never turned up. "Let's try to catch him later." Josh suggested. Clark agreed and the two walked out of the school together. Ryan had gone back to his friend's house to work on a science project so it was just Josh tonight. He saw Jordan walking down the steps in front of him and Clark proved he, too, had seen him when he called out his name.

Jordan turned and his eyes widened when he saw Josh. His expression turned from realisation, to shock and then finally to wonder and delight. Jordan stepped forwards and hugged him tightly melting into the embrace just like somebody starved of human contact. Which he was really and Josh knew it. Josh pulled back slightly but didn't let go of him. "It's great to see you, Jordan!"

"You too, Josh." Jordan grinned. "It's been almost two years! You said you were coming to Smallville but I kinda expected you to have moved by now."

Josh winced. "Yeah, things got a bit complicated." He didn't want to go into this here so he turned to Clark. "This is Clark Kent, Clark this is Jordan Cross. We met in Metropolis. His father and Uncle Kev knew each other."

"Oh." Clark winced. "Well if you've got this..."

"Sure Clark. I'll pretend you're mentoring him." Josh laughed before noticing a man watching from a truck in the car park. "Hey, Jordan, isn't that your dad?"

Jordan glanced at the man and nodded. "Come on, Josh." Jordan grabbed his arm and began to tug him away. Josh shot an apologetic look at Clark but let his friend tug him away.

"Mr. Cross." Josh greeted as he tumbled to a stop in front of the man who was leaning on the open door of his car. "It's great to see you again."

"Joshua?" Mr. Cross smiled. "It's really you. I never imaging you'd still be here."

"Yeah well..." Josh trailed off.

"Jordan?" Mr. Cross was suddenly looking at Jordan. "Did it happen again?"

"Twice that I saw." Josh told him honestly. "But I knew what to look for. Nobody saw him."

"We knew this might not work." Mr. Cross sighed.

"How about you come back to my house? I could cook." Josh offered.

"That'd be great, Josh. We still haven't gotten everything sorted out and it would be wonderful to see..." Josh was already looking away knowing what he'd been about to say but he was saved for the words when Jordan gasped. Josh and Mr. Cross both turned in time to see Jordan running away across the grass. Josh's eyes widened and he took off after him. Their gym teacher was standing in the middle of the road. Mr. Cross was running at his side but they were too far behind. Even Jordan was too far away when the car slammed on its breaks too late.

Then Clark was there, tackling their teacher out of the car's path and Jordan skidded to a stop. Josh grabbed him as he stopped since he knew that Mr. Cross couldn't. "He stopped it!" Jordan gasped out in shock.

"You saw this?" Josh hissed in his ear, getting a nod in return. "Let's get out of here."

"We'll follow you." Mr. Cross told him sadly.

"I'll pull passed you." Josh told him and headed back to his car. The crowd around the place was growing and Josh knew that Jordan hated big crowds, with good reason.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

He pulled his car into the drive and was just getting out when Mr. Cross' Mazda pulled in behind him. Josh led them inside the house as Jordan started talking. "Is that a new car?"

"Yeah," Josh winced. "Some guys totalled mine, with me in it. I spent months healing from that one. That was almost a year ago now."

"Have you been here for almost two years, Josh?" Mr. Cross asked. "That doesn't sound like your Uncle."

Josh winced but didn't answer. "We adopted a kid, a boy called Ryan. He had a brain tumour that I managed to heal but he's got a bad past and his own talents. His tumour gave him the ability to read minds and his brain has mimicked the ability, though weakly."

He led them inside and through into the kitchen. "Another kid with abilities?" Jordan asked in wonder.

"You've picked a good town to move to. The meteorite storm that hit here infested the place with a strange radioactive rock that causes mutations." Josh told him. "Not many are sane though it seems."

Mr. Cross was looking around taking in everything, including the photo of Ryan on the wall next to the door. "Josh, is your Uncle in Metropolis? I know he planned to work there and live here."

Josh didn't answer and instead just turned away and leaned on the counter top, hunching his shoulders. He could almost feel them looking at him in confusion. "Josh, where's Kevin?" Mr. Cross asked again and Josh just hung his head lower before finally turning teary eyes on them.

"They caught up to him in Metropolis just after Halloween." Josh told them and saw the regret flash across Mr. Cross' face. "They killed him."

Jordan flinched and had his arms wrapped around Josh in an instant. "I'm so sorry, Josh." Mr. Cross sighed. "He didn't deserve that."

Josh sighed and nodded. "I ran away for a time so that they couldn't track me to here but they targeted Ryan to lure me back."

"What happened, Josh?" Mr. Cross asked.

"I lost it and..." Josh paused. "And avenged Uncle Kev."

"Oh, Josh." Mr. Cross took his shoulder in his hand and after Jordan and moved away he wrapped him up in a tight hug. "Neither of you deserved that."

"Why haven't you left?" Jordan asked eventually.

"I can fight them off now." Josh told them and pulled himself away so he could start preparing some food. He was silent for a while before he began to talk, telling them everything about his magic.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A few days later**

Josh had enjoyed Jordan's company. His father and himself were staying in town but for some reason Jordan had lost his abilities after an accident that he and Clark had gotten into after being caught when their Gym teacher had kidnapped Lana and Megan from school and tried to incinerate them in a house fire.

Jordan's father had decided they'd stay in town and Jordan was quickly coming out of his shell. He and Ryan hit it off brilliantly and since Jordan was closer to Ryan's age they were becoming fast friends. Josh was glad to have them in town as somebody he could go to. Josh was a mere week away from Ryan's birthday and he was happy for the first time in a long while.

He pulled into the Kent farm to collect Ryan after a shift at the hospital and saw the lights on in the kitchen and the barn. He headed for the kitchen and found Martha, Ryan and Clark laughing around the table.

Clark was just lifting the plate of cookies and he grinned at Josh before ducking out, promising to be back soon. "Josh, how was work?" Martha asked.

"It was okay, Cirrus is slowly developing." Josh told her with a grin. "I could still be years but he's slowly getting there. I'm arranging to get him moved to Grandview. They're building a new complex out there for coma patients and the chief there was an old friend of Uncle Kevin's. He's been looking after Cirrus' case for a long time."

"That's good to hear." Martha smiled at him.

"Speaking of which, Ryan. I meant to asked about yesterday's headaches. Are they still around?" Ryan nodded. "I'll have a look later when we..."

He paused and tilted his head as he heard a shout from outside. He heard it again, this time louder. Clark was calling for his mother and his tone wasn't calm. Josh was out of the door in an instant and this time he heard Clark's fear. "Ryan, the pack in the boot." Josh yelled over his shoulder, throwing his car keys at the boy without looking.

Josh skidded into the barn seconds later and instantly saw Clark knelt over a prone form. He was at his side even when Martha gasped out in horror as she caught sight of her husband on the floor. Josh knelt at his side and instantly flooded Jonathan with his power, scanning him and trying to heal him without a care as to who saw him.

He broke away as soon as he realised what was happening to him. "Clark, an ambulance." Clark didn't move, he was clearly too shocked. Josh shoved him harshly and he sprawled out backwards. "Clark! Now!"

Josh chucked his cell phone at him knowing that Clark rarely carried his own and Clark fumbled with it desperately. Josh focused down on Jonathan who's eyes were staring at him. "All I can do is ease the pain, Mr. Kent. You need to focus on us and try to ignore the pain." Josh told him.

"Wha..." Jonathan gasped out and his frown increased as a wave of pain rushed through him.

"It's a heart attack." Josh told him as he undid his shirt buttons and put his hand on his chest to measure his heart beat. "There's nothing I can do here. I don't have the equipment. Clark is calling an ambulance."

Ryan stumbled down at his side and dropped the pack. "What do you need?"

"The scope, Ryan." Josh told him without taking his attention from Jonathan. He put it over his head and put the ends in his ears so he could hear Jonathan's heart beat better and find out what he could safety give him. "Ryan, find the needle with 'Streptokinase' written on the side."

Ryan fumbled through the bag and Josh took the needle from him. He found the right vein in his left arm and injected the needed amount. "The ambulance is on the way." Clark told him. "What can I do?"

"Go meet it." Josh told him without looking up. Clark stood quickly. "And for the love of god, Clark, get your mother out of here!"

Clark ran off and he heard him trying to get Martha to leave the barn. Josh bled more of his power into Jonathan, but held back the healing properties which would remove the anti-clotting drug he's just given him. "Josh..." Jonathan gasped out.

"Don't try to talk too much, Mr. Kent." Josh told him and put his hand on his forehead to stop him trying to sit up. "You need to take it easy. I can't do anything for heart attacks but right now you do what I say and that's all. Got it?"

He sagged back to the ground and clenched his eyes shut in pain. Josh pried open his left eye and checked his pupil for the normal pain responses. "Ryan, there's a black zip up case in there with Morphine written on the outside. Give it here."

"I don't..." Jonathan tried even as Ryan handed him it.

"With all due respect, Mr. Kent, shut up." Josh told him sharply as he pulled out a single dose and injected it into Jonathan's right arm.

Josh pulled a few more pieces out of the kit, he set a heart rate monitor around Jonathan's left wrist to monitor changes and it's low beeping was erratic and stressed like Josh had expected. He put a band around his upper left arm to take blood pressure which was low. He did a constant stream of little things to make the whole situation less damaging. Good first aid, especially from a person officially trained in heart attack management, was vital in situations like this.

It seemed like hours before he saw flashing lights and two men rushed into the room with a stretcher. Josh knew them both so they didn't try to push him out of the way. "Male, forty-eight, first heart attack. He's conscious and I've administered a normal dose of Streptokinase four minutes ago and Morphine three minutes ago. Heart rate has remained erratic and blood pressure is low but both are constant."

"Good work, Josh." Kyle told him and started their own checks, being able to skip part of the checks because they knew Josh was qualified to do all the pre-transport checks. "You're riding with us?"

"Definitely." Josh told them. He helped them to get Jonathan onto the stretcher. "Ryan, go with Clark and Martha."

Ryan didn't complain but followed Josh out of the barn with his pack. Josh took it just as he climbed up into the back of the ambulance and Ryan ran off to where Martha was sitting in the passenger seat of their truck with Clark standing in front of her. He just about saw Clark getting into the truck as well as Ryan when the ambulance pulled out onto the road and hit the sirens.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Late that night**

Josh stood looking through the glass of the private room that Jonathan had been assigned to. Clark and Martha were in there with him, talking to him, but Josh and Ryan were waiting outside. Ryan was nestled under Josh's arm and he was trembling slightly. "You did good, kid."

"What? Me?" Ryan frowned up at him. "You're the awesome one. You were doing everything."

"But you were calm and helpful." Josh told him. "You were great."

"What's going to happen now?" Ryan asked.

"Once he's stable he'll be sent home and we have to make sure he gets his rest. I'll heal the damage from the blood starving of his heart but he'll need to adjust to it for a while." Josh told him. "His heart didn't clot from bad health. They can't find a reason why his arteries collapsed but they might try to reconstruct it later on if they can."

"But he'll be okay?" Ryan asked.

"He'll be fine, Ryan." Josh lied.

"I can't hear it from you but I heard the doctor's thoughts." Ryan sighed. "I know you're just saying that."

"Ryan, I'm sorry." Josh kissed the top of his head. "It's hard to see but there's nothing anyone can do to repair his heart. For some reason it's weakened and it's only a matter of time before it fails and they can't restart it."

"There's nothing?" Ryan looked up at him.

"I'm sorry, Ryan." Josh shut his eyes and rested his head on Ryan's hair. He opened his eyes and smiled reassuringly at Clark who was looking out at the two of them.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**March 18th – Talon**

Josh smiled as he sat on the stool by the counter of the Talon. Lana was leaning on the other side enjoying the vibrancy of the Talon as Ryan's birthday party got underway. They spent the entire day before with just Ryan, Josh and Lana in Rinchard's finding the perfect horse for Ryan along with all the necessary equipment and Josh and Lana would go back on Wednesday to pick it up and take it back to the Kent Farm. Ryan had stared at the place in shock when Josh pulled into the compound and Josh thought he might have been close to fainting as it dawned on him why Josh had brought him and Lana so far to a stable.

He'd spent the next three hours randomly hugging Josh. It had been a good day but they'd gotten back late in the evening and Ryan had crashed out in Josh's bed without any attempt at gaining permission. He'd woken up to a lively Bart who'd come into town for the morning to spend time with Ryan.

The Talon was full with what seemed to be everybody in their lives. There were Ryan's friends from school, as well as what could be called Clark's gang, Chloe, Lana and Pete as well as Jordan and his Dad. There was staff from the hospital like Michael, Cassandra and Anne as well as Martha and Jonathan, forced to take it easy by Josh. Josh had even decided to ignore the fact that Lex Luthor was paying a visit.

Clark had helped him move all of Ryan's gifts into Josh's car earlier. Evidently Chloe and Clark had spread the word that it was important for Ryan to feel that this was a special day and everybody had gone out of their way to get him a gift.

"You did really good, Josh." Lana told him over the music. Josh grinned at her. "Especially with everything this year."

"We can only hope that the next year will be easier." Josh told her. "And that I'm doing a good thing by Ryan."

"There's no doubt about that, Josh." Lana laughed. "There isn't a single person in Smallville that thinks you're a bad guardian."

"As long as Ryan agrees with that." Josh told her.

"Watch out, Josh." Lana suddenly grinned. "One of my waitresses is looking at you and I've heard she's developing quite a crush."

"Dear god, help me." Josh laughed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	15. Fight or Flight

Outsiders

A/N; This is, as of yet, not even proof-read by myself. This isn't through laziness but through complete lack of time. You can either have this now or in a week after my exams. Therefore I have decided to post it like this now and when I have a chance I will proof it and replace it. Obviously if you see anything wrong and feel generous enough please write it in the review and I'll be sure to correct it.

Chapter 15; Fight or Flight

Joshua pulled into the Kent Farm and slowed his car until it came to a stop just along the fence around the garden. He killed the engine and got out before walking up to the door. He knocked on the door but he could already see Martha and Jonathan. The man was doing something to the plumbing under the sink but Martha waved him inside and he followed her instructions.

"Mr. Kent." Josh sighed. "I think you're missing the point of this forced rest."

"A little plumbing is hardly going to strain me." Jonathan told him.

Josh rolled his eyes but turned to smile at Martha. "What can we do for you, Josh?" She asked him. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

"I've got the day off." Josh shrugged. "Clark and the rest of my class are off at Luthorcorp for the day and since there's a restraining order on the Luthors I shouldn't go wandering around inside their headquarters. The school doesn't know what to do with me so I've got the day to myself. I thought I'd come say hello to Kite."

"You know you're always welcome to come by, Josh." Jonathan smiled at him from the ground. "But just to say hi to Kite?"

"Well, the happiness of Ryan's horse is of importance to me but I also needed to run something by you." Josh shrugged. "Ryan's got a dentist's appointment next Tuesday and I was hoping, since I can't get off of work, whether you could run him in."

Jonathan raised his eyebrows and pulled himself up from the ground and leant back on the edge of the sink. "He doesn't want to go alone?" He queried.

"Not really." Josh winced. "He's never been before."

"Oh!" Martha winced. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Uncle Kevin had Simon track down any of his medical records and got more paperwork than he really wanted and a whole history of..." He paused and made a vague gesture. The Kents knew what he was getting at. "Nowhere is there anything from dentists but because we had a full physical done at the hospital when we first took him in we never needed to go. Now it falls to me to make sure he's checked out. He's a little apprehensive."

"Just like any kid is." Jonathan laughed. "What about you though? Can't you change your shift?"

"I'd like to but I've kind of got prior engagements on Tuesday." Josh sighed. "You remember Garrett from the hospital last week? His brother is back in for tests on Tuesday and I promised Garrett I'd be in to sit with him."

"Ah..." Martha paused. Garrett's older brother and only guardian was dying of a rare liver disease and it was hitting Garrett extremely hard. "We see. We'll take Ryan to the dentists. Maybe we should make Clark go again just to cheer Ryan up?"

Josh laughed before turning to Jonathan. "There's another reason I'm here. It's hard for me to get here when Clark _and_ Ryan aren't around and I know you've been avoiding me taking a look at you anywhere Clark or Ryan might see."

"I feel fine." Jonathan complained.

"Yes well, you're not a doctor and I can't tell anything about your heart without looking." Josh said simply.

"But you said you couldn't do anything about it." Jonathan pointed out.

"But I can monitor it when the hospital can't and I can detect building problems long before they become major ones." Josh pointed out before heading around the counter top.

"Just let him check, Jonathan." Martha sighed.

"You're the most manipulative person we know, Josh." Jonathan sighed before lifting his shirt to expose his chest. Josh laughed before putting the palm of his hand over Jonathan's heart and let his eyes shut as his powers welled up inside him and spread into Jonathan's body. He made sure not to let it heal anything, with somebody with a weak heart it wasn't always best to let his powers run wild. After a few seconds he pulled his hand away and made sure to keep his expression neutral. The results were glaringly obvious to Josh.

"What did you find?" Martha asked as Josh stepped back and let Jonathan pull his shirt back down.

"Nothing new." Josh assured her.

"You can be honest with us, Josh." Jonathan spoke up. "Whatever you find we'll just learn from the doctors on Wednesday anyway."

"Okay." Josh drew in a breath. "I'll be simple. Your arteries are weakening and I can't do anything for that. Like before I can't see any outside reason for it. Your heart's just weakening."

"What's that mean though?" Martha asked.

"In my opinion, and mind you I'm not a heart surgeon, you'll need a bypass of some kind to take pressure off the weakened sections of arteries." Josh explained.

"An operation?" Jonathan asked. "That's a risk..."

"It's more of a risk to leave it like this, Mr. Kent." Josh interrupted. "At any moment you could have another heart attack and eventually I'm not going to be here to help you or the hospital won't be able to save you."

"But they said..." Jonathan paused suddenly realising that Josh didn't know.

"That this would kill you in the end?" Josh guessed.

"How do you know that?" Martha asked shocked.

"I realise you went to great lengths to make Clark and Ryan believe this would be cured and I've respected that by keeping my thoughts to myself but Ryan can read minds and he's getting better at it with less side effects." Josh sighed and sat at down on a stool behind him, resting his elbows on the counter top. "He pulled it right out of the head of your doctor."

"Oh my..." Martha looked like she was ready to be sick. Jonathan looked nearly as bad.

"You can't help this sort of thing and Ryan has been hearing these kind of thoughts for a long time now." Josh knew that didn't help them. "Do him a favour and don't let him know I told you he knows." Josh blinked at his own words, running them over in his head making sure he'd said them right. He hated saying sentences like that.

The two adults stood in silence for a time before Jonathan busied himself with the kettle. "Would you like a tea or coffee, Josh?" He offered.

Josh nodded when the man turned to look at him. "Did you want to stay for the afternoon, Josh, or do you have something to get done?"

"I'm free." Josh promised her. "And it'd be nice to chill out here for a while. If I go home I'll have to do something useful."

"If you want to do something useful there's always a couple of jobs in the house you could help me with." Jonathan offered with a grin.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Sunday Night**

Josh pulled up at the side of the road near the Talon when he saw the police lights and as he stepped out of the car he saw one of the deputies pushing a paint covered girl into the back of one of their cars. Clark was on the pavement talking to Sherriff Adams and they looked up at him as he approached.

"Are you alright, Clark?" He asked.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Ackervey?" The Sherriff asked just as Clark nodded.

"I was supposed to meet Lana here at eight to help her start clearing up the apartment." Josh frowned. He'd made the deal when he'd heard from Lana that Adam, strange man as he was, had skipped town after threatening her. He knew she didn't want to be in the apartment alone until it was cleared out.

"She's inside." The Sherriff told him.

"She's a bit shaken up." Clark told her. "Alicia tried to cut her throat."

"Perhaps you could go in and take a look at her, Mr. Ackervey?" The Sherriff asked him. "I was going to take her to the hospital soon."

"I can take her." Josh told her before turning to Clark impatiently. "Is she hurt?"

"A small cut on her throat." Clark told him. "And a bump on the head."

Josh turned and jogged back to his car, grabbed the first aid kit out of the boot and was inside shortly after. He found Lana sitting in one of the stalls with a glass of water in front of her and a bloodied towel at her neck. He quickly walked over to the counter and put the bag down before heading over to her. "Hey, Lana." Josh smiled down at her before helping her up. "Come and sit down at the counter and I'll take a look at that."

"Josh." She sighed. "You're a welcome sight."

"What about Clark?" Josh laughed. She glared at him before moving to pull the towel away from her throat. "Leave that there for the moment. Let me just check your head. Where did you hit it?"

She touched the back of her head with her free hand and winced. Josh moved behind her and moved her hair around to get a look with his fingers before he nodded to himself. "It shouldn't cause any problems that I can see but we'll still get it checked. Did you go unconscious?"

"For about a minute according to Clark." Lana said.

"Definitely get you checked then." Josh nodded before moving back in front of her. He opened his kit and pulled on a pair of gloves and put everything out on the counter that he thought he might need. "Let's have that then, Lana."

He took the towel from her and eased it away and gritted his teeth, pushing down the horrible sensation in his stomach. The cut was a very small one, barely an inch long and only just enough to bleed like this. No veins had been cut and definitely not an artery like his Uncle had done to him. He pushed that thought down and kept his face calm as he cleaned it up and taped a bandage around it. "You shouldn't need stitches." He told her as he swallowed. "And I doubt it'll even..." He trailed off.

"Scar?" She asked and he flinched and turned and dumped all the bloodied wipes and pads into a disposal bag. "I'm sorry, Josh."

"It's fine Lana but I've got a thing against this sort of thing." Josh said bluntly and swallowed again wondering if he was going to be sick.

"Because of..." Lana swallowed her own words.

Josh waved a hand carelessly. "I supposed I just didn't get over it."

"You threw up because of that movie didn't you?" Lana asked. "Who...?"

"Don't Lana. I got enough of that from Clark when he went off the deep end. I don't want to have this conversation with you and I need to get you to the hospital." Josh cut her off, closed his bag and put the strap over his shoulders. He picked up the dirty bandages last and led Lana from the Talon. She was quiet and tight lipped as the Sherriff spoke to Josh before letting him take her to the Hospital.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Wednesday Evening**

Josh rubbed at his head as he pulled his hand away from the base of Vince's chest. He'd finally managed to slip inside the room when there wasn't a doctor or nurse watching the critical patient. Garrett's brother was on the verge of dying, to the point that there was no chance of getting a donor in time to save his life. If that would even do it. Josh had never tried to heal Liver Disease before but he'd felt it from alcoholics but never tried to heal it, he wouldn't risk his own life to save somebody who could simply quit drinking and recover.

Vince however didn't stand a chance and while Garrett was clinging to hope everybody else knew better. Josh sighed and let his hands fall to his side as he pulled the sheet back over Vince's chest. Josh could try to save him but he'd take on all the symptoms of this rare form of liver disease and he held no delusion that he'd be able to walk out of here after doing that. It was literally poison him and unfortunately this, like a bullet wound, was one of those things where the symptoms were the thing that killed and not the root of the problem. Well at least that's what was killing Vince at this moment, the poisons in his blood system and no matter what the doctors here did they couldn't cope with it.

Then there was the cinch of it, Josh would have to completely flood every part of Vince to heal him and he wasn't sure he could do it for long enough to cure him before the poison settled into Josh's system and made him lose control. There were just so many variables this time for him to risk it.

"I hope you can forgive me, Vince." Josh sighed before jumping as one of the beeping monitors screamed out as if panicked. Josh looked at the heart monitor and winced, the poison in his heart was causing his heart to fail and it was struggling, going into a heart attack. Josh dashed to the wall beside the door and hit the blue button on the wall and instantly the alarm went off.

"_Code Blue, Room 247!"_ A voice announced through the hospitals announcement system. Josh locked the door in the open position before moving to the side of the bed again. He pulled the sheet down to Vince's waist, checked the oxygen flow and a dozen other little things to make things easier when, ten seconds later, the crash team burst through the door and he dodge back out of the way knowing that with professionals around to deal with it he was just in the way.

Josh stood next to the door watching as they tried to save Vince but he already knew from his own powers that it was too late. Just as they were giving up Garrett appeared in the doorway with Clark just behind him and Josh winced as Garrett gave a pained cry. Josh moved in front of him and took his shoulders. "Garrett! You shouldn't be in here!"

"Vince!" Garrett yelled, ignoring Josh.

"It's too late." The doctor sighed behind him and Josh gritted his teeth. "Time of death..."

Josh ignored the rest of it and grabbed the sides of Garrett's head, as if to stop him from hearing. Garret whimpered and sagged slightly and Josh hugged him, putting a hand on his back and one against the back of his head. "Clark, help me get him out of here." Josh ordered Clark who was standing in the doorway looking pale. "Clark!" Josh hissed when the other boy didn't instantly move.

Clark nodded and together they managed to get Garrett into the room next door and on the bed. Josh sat next to him and let the younger boy cry quietly. "I'm sorry, Garrett." Josh whispered knowing that saying anything else was pointless.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Friday**

Josh sat next to Martha on chairs in the waiting room helping her to fill in the admissions paperwork for Jonathan. Josh had been right in his diagnosis of Jonathan and the doctors had convinced him, with help from Clark and Martha, to go through a triple bypass to take the strain off of his heart. Josh knew it would only give the man more time but eventually his heart would give out but people in Jonathan's position had been known to have decades ahead of them. Then again people like Jonathan, who had healthy hearts all of their lives didn't normally have this kind of trouble.

"I went to see Vince." Josh told Martha just as they finished filling the forms in. "He doesn't look good. I don't know where he came from or how he came back to life, if that's even what this is but he's in just about the same condition he was before."

"You took a look?" Martha asked quietly.

Josh nodded bluntly. Vince had appeared at the Kent Farm where Garrett had been staying for the last few days before collapsing. Clark and Garrett had brought him in a few hours ago but the doctors didn't think that Vince would even last till that night. It was the same as before though, Josh might be able to heal him but at a massive cost, possibly even Josh's life and he'd told Clark that when Clark had asked him.

"You can't heal him?"

"I'd poison myself." Josh told her. "Possibly fatally. Most probably fatally."

Martha sighed and reached over to squeeze his shoulder. "You can't save everyone, Josh. And even if you could why should that become your responsibility. Your life has to come first, before anybody else's."

Josh looked at her and smiled slightly. At least she understood. Then again if he thought he could save Vince without the risk he would do so without question. Garrett needed his older brother. "I'll come check on Mr. Kent before he goes in for surgery and I'm allowed to watch the surgeries from the viewing stations so I'll keep you informed about what's happening."

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Martha asked him nervously.

"Your husband is tough, Mrs. Kent." Josh chuckled. "He won't have a problem. Normally it's only complications that cause the damage in these sort of operations and normally that doesn't show until recovery and I can..." He wiggled his fingers and Martha laughed before they both stood and Martha surprised him by hugging him and kissing him on the cheek.

"I'm glad you came into our lives, Josh." She smiled.

"Smallville has its ups and downs." Josh shrugged.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Three hours later**

As he walked back to the waiting area to report to Martha about Jonathan's condition he was reminded at just how true his last statement to Martha had been when he heard Garrett yelling to be allowed to see Doctor Yeager, his brother's doctor. Just when Josh was about to try to calm him down Garrett opened his coat and showed them all that he had a bomb strapped to his chest. Everybody backpedalled away from him but Josh stepped forwards.

"Garrett, what are you doing?" Josh snapped. "That's not going to help matters!"

Garrett rounded on him and Josh raised his hands to his sides to placate him. "My brother needs a liver." Garrett told him and Doctor Yeager who was already in the room. "I figure now you'll get him one."

"Garrett?" Martha stopped beside Josh. "This isn't going to solve anything."

"Don't come any closer!" Garrett ordered her and Josh grabbed her elbow to make sure she didn't. "If you want anybody to leave this building with their limbs attached, you'd better make sure my brother gets that transplant."

Josh stayed where he was as the nurses and doctors started getting everybody back away from Garrett. "Garrett, why are you doing this?"

"I can't lose Vince." Garrett told him weakly. "If I have to be locked up that's fine. As long as he's alive."

"Garrett..."

"Sit down!" Garrett snapped at him. Josh sighed and turned to the waiting area, sitting down on Martha's right hand side. Pete and Chloe were also there.

"He doesn't want to hurt anybody." Josh sighed. "I think he just doesn't care about his future if Vince isn't going to be in it."

"That's crazy." Pete shook his head.

"Then you don't understand it, Pete." Josh sighed. "When Uncle Kevin died I was where he is but he doesn't have Ryan to keep him on track."

Martha rested her hand on his shoulder again. "Is Jonathan...?"

Josh nodded so she didn't have to finish the sentence. "Everything is fine and they won't leave him on his own for this. There are rules for this situation and they won't allow a patient to go untended. Garrett's not going to force them to abandon Mr. Kent."

They sat there in silence but Josh didn't take his eyes from Garrett the entire time, all the while pondering whether to use his magic to solve the problem. If he could get the bomb off of Garrett and the trigger out of his hand then any of them could restrain him for long enough to get the police in but one thing stopped him. Garrett was a kind and gentle soul and Josh didn't believe that he'd press that button and Vince would die regardless of Garrett's outburst and Garrett would give this up as soon as that happened. It was a horrible thing to rely on but even if Josh used his magic the result would be the same except that Josh would run the risk of being caught and locked up in some lab somewhere.

It was already dark when Garrett came out of the nurse's station with a strange look on his face. "Everybody out!" He yelled. People began jumping to their feet and Josh hung back, letting Pete and Chloe make sure that Martha left. Josh walked up to Garrett but before he could say anything Garrett stopped him. "I want you to stay."

"Why?" Josh asked as he spotted Martha turn around at the words, fear crossing her face.

"Because I trust you to help him." Garrett told him and Josh sighed and nodded at him before motioning for Pete who grabbed Martha's arm and got her to follow him out. Josh went into Vince's room and found Doctor Yeager checking his symptoms. Garrett was still out in the hallway and the Doctor looked at him desperately.

"He's going to die, Josh." Yeager told him. "There's nothing we could have done the first time and there's still nothing we can do."

"I think Garrett knows that deep down, Doctor Yeager, but he's desperate." Josh sighed and used a towel to wipe the sweat from Vince's forehead. "But Vince is the only thing left in his life and that makes doing this worthwhile."

"The kid's crazy!" Yeager snapped.

Josh just looked at him and shook his head, not having time to speak before Garrett and surprisingly Clark walked into the room. "I want you to give him this." Garrett instructed the Doctor.

"What is it?" Yeager looked suspicious.

"Just do it!" Garrett snapped.

Josh looked at Clark who nodded at him. Josh sighed and Doctor Yeager moved over, found the position over Vince's chest and injected a syringe full of clear liquid into his Pulmonary Artery, right next to his heart. Josh checked through the monitors, trying to find anything that would suggest whatever was in that needle had worked but found nothing.

"Why isn't it working?" Garrett rounded on Clark. "You lied to me!"

"I didn't, Garrett." Clark defended himself.

"That's it, my brother is getting a liver now!" Garrett shouted.

"We don't have one." Yeager argued.

"Yes you do!" Garrett snapped. "You've got a man lying in the O.R!"

"That's my dad!" Clark gasped and Josh tensed.

"I don't have another choice!" Garrett hissed.

"You're not touching him!" Clark walked further into the room but came up short when Garrett held up the detonator. Josh frowned when Clark winced and stepped back, leaning some of his weight on the edge of the door.

"You'll still have a mom." Garrett told Clark, not noticing Clark's strange reaction. "If Vince dies I have no one."

"Son," Yeager spoke up. "The chances of success are extremely low."

"Just do it!" Garrett snapped. "Now!"

Yeager pulled himself up and retreated past Clark who caught his elbow, hissing in his ear desperately. "I've got twenty patients in this hospital. I don't know what to do!" Yeager hissed back before walking past Clark and out into the hall.

Clark and Garrett made to follow but Josh looked down at Vince. His earlier assumption had changes slightly. Vince was all that Garrett had left in the world and that made him desperate enough to make him this mad. Josh wondered what he'd want somebody to do in his position if it was him in the bed and Ryan desperate enough to threaten people like Garrett was doing. Also it came down to the twenty other patients that would die if Garrett blew himself up, not to mention the dozen staff still inside the building including himself.

The risk of getting caught or dying didn't seem so much now that his life was in danger anyway, let alone everybody else's lives. Not to mention the chance that Garrett and Vince could continue to be brothers beyond this day is Josh could save him, even if Garrett would be in Juvenile Hall.

"Stop!" Josh spoke up. "Clark, Garrett."

"What!?" Garrett snapped but turned around.

Josh looked up. "Garrett, I might be able to help him."

"Josh, no." Clark hissed.

"This might be the only way, to save your dad, to save Vince and Garrett, and everybody else in here if that bomb goes off." Josh met Clark's eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Garrett hissed. "I need that liver."

"No you don't." Josh shook his head. "I can heal him. I can take out the disease and bring him back."

"You'd get the symptoms, it could kill you!" Clark hissed. "Wouldn't it?"

"That's why I didn't do it before." Josh was talking as much to Garrett as anybody else. "But it's not just me at risk now, it's everyone in this building."

"What are you talking about?" Garrett asked again.

"I have a power, Garrett. I can heal people I touch. You have to trust me." Josh told him earnestly. "You know me, I've been at your side throughout his illness. I wouldn't say this to you now unless I could help."

"Do it then." Josh didn't know if Garrett actually believed him or not but he was simply desperate for anything to work.

Josh stepped up to Vince's side and put his hands on his torso, his right hand over his liver and his left over his heart. To heal the liver and to purge the poison from the blood. "This is going to hurt me, Clark. But don't let Garrett get hurt and please don't tell them what happened to me, say I collapsed from something else. Tell them I've been ill for days or something. Just tell them the medicine worked or something."

"Alright Josh." Clark nodded.

"If I..." Josh swallowed. "Tell Ryan I love him."

He didn't let Clark respond to that and shuttered his eyes and let his powers flow into Garrett but held them back slightly once they'd found the disease. "Garrett, if this works please just take that off and surrender yourself. Your brother doesn't want you to die because of him."

Garrett was staring at his hands in shock but he looked up and Josh saw the wells of pain in his eyes, the desperate need for his brother. Josh shut his eyes again and felt every part of Vince's body as his powers flooded through his body. He concentrated on healing the cells of the liver first, returning them to their normal state and removing the diseased cells before he turned them onto Vince's blood vessels, removing the disease just like he had done with Clark all that time ago and just like before it took all of his powers to eradicate something so deadly.

He sagged down onto Vince's chest as his powers retreated and then forced himself up onto his elbows as Vince's breathing hitched, becoming stronger. That was all the proof he needed and when he looked up at Garrett he simply nodded before sliding sideways, collapsing onto the floor as his lungs struggled to take in a breath. Clark slide down at his side and took the sides of his head into his hands but Josh weakly struggled to stand, to try to prove that he'd survive. His took in another strained breath and turned to focus his eyes on Vince in the bed as Garrett leaned over him, stunned to see him better so suddenly.

"Clark." Josh whispered, worried that his voice was too weak to reach even him, so close as he was. "Get Doctor Yeager."

Clark lifted him up and placed him on the armchair in the room before he went to the do and yelled for the doctor. When that didn't seem to work instantly he hit the page next to the door and an alarm began to ring through the hospital.

Josh watched from the chair as Vince woke up and tried to sit up. Garrett helped him before turning to look at Josh. "You did it!"

"I didn't have a choice." Josh hissed out, feeling his voice coming back to him.

"What's wrong with you?" Garrett asked and lowered his brother back down to the bed when he saw how ill Josh looked.

"I take a small version of what I heal." Josh told him as Garrett knelt at his side. "I'm poisoned with what was killing him."

"I..."

"I'll survive." Josh said weakly. "Please, Garrett, this isn't you. Take off the jacket before the police come in. I don't want you to get hurt when I've risked so much."

Garrett stood up and stripped off the vest, dumping in on the ground in the corner just as Clark and Doctor Yeager rushed in. "Clark!" Josh caught his attention. "I need to get some rest."

"What happened to you?" Clark asked acting surprised. "I thought you said you were feeling better! You promised my mom and dad."

Josh was surprised at how well Clark was lying. He was normally so bad but then again he wasn't normally lying to get a friend out of trouble. "I lied." Josh tried to laugh but his vision went black for a moment.

"Josh?" Yeager was feeling his head and Josh realised that in the moment he'd slipped sideways in the chair and Clark was no supporting his weight. "Are you feeling alright?"

"He was complaining about feeling light headed for a couple of days, Doctor." Clark told him.

"Bitten." Josh whispered.

"Mr. Kent." Doctor Yeager told him. "Get him to the bed next door while I go call in help."

Josh looked for Garrett and met his eyes for a moment when he found him sitting next to his brother's bed with his hands held in his own and tears in his eyes. At least something good had come from this.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two days later**

Josh looked up from his games of chess with a boy called Jacob when his door opened and Martha Kent walked inside. Jacob was staying for the day to visit his father in hospital but while his father was in a check up Josh was looking after him in exchange for Jacob breaking up his boredom. "How are you feeling, Josh?" Martha asked him.

"Better." Josh promised. "They're letting me out tonight."

He'd woken up on Saturday morning to be told that he'd been poisoned by something. Yeager and Clark had reported that Josh had claimed to have been bitten and the Kents and Ryan had happily claimed that Josh had been feeling ill for a few days now so the doctors, after not being able to find a cause for the sudden collapse, had decided that the stress of the situation had overwhelmed Josh's system and he'd collapsed because of the poison in his blood which they'd found. He was on strong antibiotics to counter the poison and his system was almost clear of them again. In all everything had worked out well.

Clark, Pete, Lana and Chloe had been in to see him on that afternoon while visiting Jonathan Kent after his operation and had brought him the news that Garrett was staying at the police station for the time being but was going to be allowed to visit his brother while he recovered in the hospital. Vince was under police guard because of the strange circumstances to his recovery but doctors had been in to see him from Metropolis and had found no reason for his recovery. Even a few doctors that had Luthorcorp's stink on them.

Ryan had spent the night in the hospital with him and most of Sunday morning having refused to be removed from his side after what had happened. He'd been more than a little panicked when he'd heard from Mr. Cross about what was happening. He'd been at Jordan's house for the evening.

"Ryan will be glad." Martha smiled at him, she'd popped in to see him the day before but had obviously had her husband on her mind. Josh promised Jacob he could have a rain check on the game and soon they were alone as Martha settle beside the bed. "What you did was very sweet, Josh, but..."

"I know it was risky, Mrs. Kent. In a lot of ways." Josh told her. "But there was more at risk than just myself. Your husband for one. I wasn't sure I could have healed Vince but I had to try when I realised how much we were going to lose. And Garrett deserves the chance, even if he has to spend the next few years without visits from his brother."

"He's not mentioned what happened to anyone and Clark visited him at the Sherriff's station and talked to him about it." Martha told him. "I don't think we need to worry."

"I don't think he'd betray me, not after I gave him back his brother." Josh sighed and wearily put his head back on the pillow and slid down in the bed. Martha stood up, seeing how tired he was and tucked him in. "We're lucky to have you around, Josh."

Josh smiled at her. "I'm going to take a nap but I'll try to convince Michael to let me visit Mr. Kent later. I'll..."

"Don't you dare!" Martha almost screeched. "The last thing you need right now is to use your powers again."

"In a few days?" Josh almost asked making her laughed. She place a hand on his head, trying to smooth down his ruffled hair before she moved to close his blinds and turn off the light to let him sleep.

But Josh couldn't sleep straight away. He couldn't help but remember her words. When she'd told him that they were lucky to have him in their lives. Words that he'd only heard from Uncle Kevin. His Uncle had always realised that Josh was a little off when it came to feeling needed, he'd been betrayed by his blood kin and he'd never forget that. That's why he was so glad he'd been able to give Garrett his brother back.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two days later**

Josh had been released into the care of his younger brother on the promise that he'd call the hospital immediately if he took a bad turn but apart from being tired he wasn't much the worse for wear. Josh had stayed at home on Monday and only been allowed to remain there when he'd promise Martha Kent that he'd call if his condition changed or if he needed anything.

"You done your homework?" Josh asked as he put a plate of food in front of Ryan.

"Yes mother." Ryan rolled his eyes. Josh picked a little bit of spaghetti from his own plate as he sat down and threw it at his sixteen year old brother. Ryan spluttered in irritation before spooning a mouthful of food into his mouth. "So, can I go?"

"I suppose so." Josh sighed though he didn't really mind. Ryan wanted to spend the evening watching films with his friend and Josh was simply glad that Ryan had so many friends, especially with his background and his growing ability to read minds even without the pain causing imbalance in his brain.

Ryan grinned but then yelped and jumped when the door slammed open seemingly for no reason and suddenly Bart was standing at the side of the kitchen table with a big grin on his face. "No need to scream, little man." Bart grinned happily, clearly proud of himself.

"You..." Ryan speared a chunk of spaghetti and hoisted it off his plate.

"Throw that, Ry, and you're cleaning it up off of the floor." Josh told him even as he continued to eat. "And Bart, love? I've told you about doing that to Ryan. I'll find a spell..."

"You wouldn't!" Bart gasped as Josh trailed off threateningly causing Ryan to burst out laughing. Bart smiled at him before kissing the top of his head. Ryan rolled his eyes at Bart's affectionate side because returning to his meal as Bart sat in Josh's lap and helped himself to the food.

"He hasn't been eating." Ryan told Bart.

"Hey!" Josh complained.

"Why haven't you been eating?" Bart asked.

"You know I got poisoned healing that guy in hospital." Josh pointed out. He'd called Bart yesterday about it. "It's not conducive to an appetite."

Bart turned looked at him for a moment before returning to feeding himself and Josh, making sure he ate more than he would've done without him there.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A month later – April – Great Britain**

Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk reading over a personal letter from the Minister for Magic. It was rather abrupt and to the point and told him one simple thing which was that the man he'd sent to the Americas to retrieve Harry Potter had gone missing almost six weeks ago and he was only just admitting it to Dumbledore. He scrunched the letter up in his hand before throwing it into the fireplace which happily ate the parchment. He'd done nothing for over a month, letting the Minister handle the situation only to find out that nothing had been happening and that he'd been sitting around wasting time better spent convincing the boy to fight for them. Harry Potter was no good to them half way around the world, doing Merlin knows what and even worse possibly learning things he shouldn't.

He pulled out a fresh piece of parchment and a quill before addressing a letter to Remus Lupin. Force hadn't worked so they'd have to try at diplomacy and he'd send Remus to ask the boy to return to his rightful home, that of his Aunt where Dumbledore wouldn't have to assign his Order to protect him.

He needed Harry Potter to end this war with the least amount of casualties on his own side and he and the Minister agreed that they might have to overstep some boundaries along the way. He'd have to go see the Minister to find out more information about what had happened to his man before he risked sending out Remus. Remus was his ace in the hole when it came to controlling Harry Potter and he couldn't afford something to happen to him. That was the whole idea of putting Harry Potter with his uncaring Aunt in the first place, so that when it was time for him to go to Hogwarts he'd attach himself to either Dumbledore's guidance or Remus' and therefore be under his control.

When they'd noticed his disappearance when he was younger though those plans had gone out of control but he still hoped that if Remus introduced himself to Harry as his parent's only remaining friend then Harry would attach himself to Remus desperately. Especially now that the Muggle was out of the picture.

A small smile spread across his face at the idea and he contented himself with the idea that it would work out the way he wanted it to. He'd get Harry Potter back from America, let Remus and the Order members teach him magic and delight the boy until he was ready to kill Voldemort.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Smallville Medical Centre**

"Chloe?" Josh asked as he gazed down at the latest edition of the Smallville Torch that had come out that morning which detailed the acts of crime committed by possibly the school's best teacher. Murder. "Don't you think you should have taken this to the police before printing it?"

"It's called journalism, Josh." Chloe pointed out uncaringly. "Sometimes the best stories have to be brought to light before the police get wind of it."

"Some call that underhanded."

"So you're saying you've never done something underhanded?" Chloe asked with a small smirk on her face.

"Of course I have." Josh answered before he could stop himself. His teeth clicked together in surprise and looked to the side, half to get his focus off of Chloe and half to look at Ryan when he walked inside. Chloe looked that way as well and Ryan frowned which surprised Josh.

"Don't you dare ask that question, Chloe." Ryan told her sharply and Josh tilted his head at his little brother in question. "She's on a trip." Ryan told him simply.

"Sticking her nose in people's business isn't really a temporary thing for her Ryan." Josh pointed out. "Why the fangs?" He asked, commenting on Ryan irritation.

"I can hear what she wanted to ask." Ryan said simply. "And she's had an accident according to Clark. If she asks you a question you have to answer."

Josh turned to Chloe with a raised eyebrow. He was well aware that Chloe had known about Ryan's ability from day one and although he'd never commented it to her she clearly had only just gotten her proof that Josh had known about it. A frustrated look came across her face and she was talking before Ryan could stop her. "Who gave you..."

Josh moved quicker then she could react and before she finished the question Josh had his hand over her mouth so tight she could barely breath, even through her nose. "If you dare ask who gave me my scars then I'll press charges against you for digging into my files last year. You'd better be careful Chloe."

"Was that a threat?" She asked as soon as Josh let her go.

Josh tried to not answer to test this new ability of hers but failed. "Yes, Chloe. It was." He said in the end before tugging Ryan out of the room and away from somebody that could open up all of their secrets. "What the hell?" He asked Ryan once they were on the way to the car.

"She broke into the Luthorcorp plant the other day and got exposed to a drug that Clark says is forcing anybody she asks a question at to give her the truth." Ryan explained quietly as they passed out of the doors. "First thing she asked me was what was your deal."

Josh stumbled. "What did you say?"

"I didn't even realise she was expecting me to answer. I was just surprised by her forwardness." Ryan shrugged. "Clark was rather shocked that I didn't have to answer too."

"Sounds to me like you're immune because of the imbalance of chemicals in our brain." Josh frowned as he clicked open his car for Ryan to climb into. He walked around and got into the driver's seat and turned on the engine as he pulled on his seatbelt. "I wasn't immune because, regardless of my powers, I'm still human."

"I'm worried about this." Ryan leant his head back on his chair. "She wrote about a teacher committing murder without battering an eyelash. What if she corners you and makes you admit to something and writes about it?"

"You want the truth, Ry?" Josh asked with a smirk on his face at the irony of the statement. "I don't know what I'd do. Skip town at the very least."

"With or without me?" Ryan asked when Josh pulled out of the school. It was clear now that he was talking generally.

"That would depend on what you wanted." Josh said honestly. "If the Wizards come in force and I can't stand my ground or they won't back away when I refuse to do what they want of me then you could stay with the Kents or come with me. Either way is legal. They still have partial custody of you after all."

"Would you want me to come with you?" Ryan asked.

"I'd want you with me but there are other things to consider. You'd be at risk if they caught up to me but that's a small risk when I'm on the move since they can't track me if I don't use one of their wands." Josh smiled at Ryan. "I'd also have to move normally around the country but that's nothing more than a small inconvenience since I would rather take things with me if I leave and I can't carry all that much with me when I do it my way."

"And I could help you." Ryan grinned. "It's not as powerful as it used to be but I can control it better. I can warn you about people."

Josh reached over and touched his younger brother on the arm. "I know, Ryan. We'll see what happens if we have to split town. But I want you to be somewhere you can be happy, not running around the world like I did with AC and Bart."

Josh smiled over at him and Ryan smiled back before they settled into a comfortable silence as Josh drove them home.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Hogwarts – May**

"Come in, Remus." Headmaster Albus Dumbledore called as the viewing spell on his desk showed him the face of the person that had knocked at his door. The door quickly opened and the rather tired looking Remus Lupin walked inside, returned a polite greeting and sat in the chair opposite his own.

"Is it time, Albus?" Remus asked.

"Yes, Remus." Albus smiled at him. "We've waited a month now for the findings about the loss of the Ministry man but we can't afford to wait any longer. Their schooling years work the same as ours and we can't afford for him to move over the summer holidays like we know he has before."

"But we don't even know for sure he's even still there. Didn't you say that they always ran at the first sign of a Wizard?" Remus asked.

"We have to take the chance that he will stay. The Muggle was killed, accidentally as it was, so we must hope that free to do as he wishes again he'll remain put and be open to coming back home with you." Albus explained. "But be careful, Remus. We're still not exactly sure what happened to the man from the Ministry."

"You don't think..." Remus couldn't say what he was thinking.

"It's a little too early to jump to the conclusion that it was Harry that caused the disappearance of the man from the Ministry, Remus." Albus' eyes twinkled. "He has been raised as a Muggle and has no magic of his own. He would not have been able to resist a fully trained Ministry Official."

"We assume he hasn't been trained." Remus corrected.

"If he had ever touched a wand we would have been able to detect it." Albus assured him. "Go to America and reach out to him as a family friend. It may not take much to convince him to come back with you after all. I dread to think what sort of life he has had with that Muggle who kidnapped him from his relatives."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Smallville**

Joshua sat cross-legged on his armchair with a folder of papers open on his lap. The coffee table in the living room was also covered in paper work and Simon, his lawyer and friend, sat on the sofa. With everything legal that Josh had been doing lately it had been easier for the two to talk through everything over the weekend and Simon and his son, Brad, had come to stay for the weekend. Currently Brad was off with Clark and Ryan horse riding.

"So that's everything sorted out for the case against Summerholt?" Josh asked him. "It's all dealt with?"

"Summerholt settled out of court just like we thought they would." Simon nodded.

"Which means it won't go public?" Josh frowned. He'd only really pressed charges against them in Ryan's name to bring to light what they'd done to him. Namely, almost killed him.

Simon smirked at him. "The District Attorney's office will still be placing charges against Summerholt but it probably won't get public. That's what the settlement was for. I thought you'd be okay with that?"

Josh grinned. "Get Ryan the compensation he deserves for what they did to him but keep him from having to stand up in court and testify? That's all fine with me."

"I thought as much." Simon nodded. "I set up a savings account in Metropolis under Ryan's name and the money was deposited yesterday at noon. Have you told him yet?"

"I wanted to wait until this was all dealt with." Josh told him. "I'll tell him tonight after dinner."

"There's something else I need to discuss with you, Josh." Simon bit his lip. "Would you have any idea why the FBI did a check on you three days ago?"

"Three days?" Josh sat up straight. "And you're only now mentioning it?"

"I didn't find out until this morning." Simon defended.

"Sorry." Josh muttered weakly. "What did they want to know?"

"They opened everything they could get." Simon sighed. "The court case against your Uncle for kidnapping, the case Lionel Luthor brought against you when Lex tried to kill himself and your medical records and housing history."

"Did they find out..." Josh shook his head, not wanting to asked it.

"Not that I'm aware of." Simon shook his head. "I have the only documents that connect you to the Dursleys and I don't just leave them lying around."

Josh breathed out in relief. "So, do you have any idea why the FBI is asking about me?"

"That's the thing, the FBI aren't." Simon told him. "As soon as I heard I called a friend of mine in Washington and the FBI have no interest in you at all. Whoever requested information on you did it on his own."

"Which means he broke federal law." Josh said simply. "But how did he hear about me?"

"The guy in question is working on a case here. I wasn't told what only that its big." Simon told him. "Obviously it's nothing to do with you and Ryan's files haven't been touched."

"Thank god for that." Josh sighed. "Can anything be done?"

"I've already set things in motion to make sure they do something about it but this is the FBI we're talking about and we don't want to do too much and attract their attention. If he's merely doing checks on everyone here then you're file will only raise eyebrows." Simon smiled at him. "It's a strange file and parts of it are horrific but in all it's nothing hazardous to you."

"No." Josh nodded. "Just my nightmares."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Smallville Medical Centre – The next day**

Josh was doing a late shift at the medical centre and was sitting playing a card game with a sixteen year old girl with a broken leg when Michael walked into the room and motioned for him. Josh hopped up off of the bed and went to the Nurse to find out what was wrong.

"You know that Pete Ross kid right?" Michael asked.

"Sure, we go to school together." Josh nodded. "What's wrong?"

"He's downstairs with a few rather nasty bruises and cuts, looks like he's been beaten up pretty badly." Michael told him. "The Doctor's checked him out but he just need cleaning up and patching. We're all a bit busy though so he said you could do it if you wanted the practice. It's up to the Ross kid if he wants a friend to patch him up thought."

"Sure." Josh nodded and Michael left. Josh turned to Kaitlin. "I've gotta go fix somebody, I'll come back when I'm done and see if you're still up. You can finished beating me then."

"Sure, Josh. Thanks." She smiled at him and Josh walked out into the corridor and down to the nurses station to find out where they'd put Pete. When he got to the room he found the blinds closed but the door open and Pete was sitting on the bed without a shirt on and a few swabs taped to him. His mother was in the room as well as Clark who looked surprised to see him.

"Mrs. Ross, Clark, Pete." Josh smiled as he set down a tray of bandages.

"You're here to do fix me?" Pete asked.

"Fix you might be a bit of an over exaggeration." Josh laughed. "I'm not that good. The Nurses are a bit busy and one of my jobs here is changing bandages and so on. If you don't mind me doing it then I'll just clean up the cuts and patch them and then you can go home. Otherwise you'll have to wait for a Nurse to get free and it'll be a bit longer."

"Just get this sorted out would you, Josh?" Pete sighed and winced when he made an expression and hurt himself.

"That does look painful." Josh nodded. "Clark? Why don't you take Mrs. Ross for a coffee?"

Mrs. Ross thanked Josh as she followed Clark out of the room. Josh went about putting on gloves and opening packets while Pete watched him in silence. "So, Pete?" Josh asked conversationally. "What happened to you?"

"I got in a fight." Pete said simply as Josh peeled away the padding over his shoulder where he was cut. He began cleaning it and checking the cut as he went.

"You're lying." Josh said simply. "This wasn't from a fight."

"I think having somebody hitting you counts as a fight." Pete argued defensively.

"You were interrogated." Josh told him quietly.

"How do you know that?" Pete frowned, wincing slightly as it caught at the bruises on his face.

"For one, you've got the marks on your wrists." Josh said as he reached down and lightly took Pete's forearm in his hand as proof. "And secondly, these blows happened while you were stationary. Unless you've taken to standing still when somebody attacks you I'd say you were restrained."

"You're good." Pete said simply in way of telling Josh he was right.

"I used to spend a lot of time volunteering in Metropolis General and there is a lot of this sort of thing in Metropolis." Josh told him. "Plus my Uncle was one of this country's best surgeons and he specialised in fixing this sort of damage. He taught me how to recognise the difference between wounds taken in a fair fight and those taken like this."

Pete didn't respond, not many people carried on the conversation when Uncle Kevin came up but Josh didn't mind and he went to work cleaning and closing Pete's four major cuts and then cleaned off the remaining blood. It was after he had applied a cream to his wrists when he spoke up again just as he used Iodine to clean a cut on Pete's chin that could possibly scar. "Who did this Pete?"

Pete was quiet for a while before he answered the question. "A Fed called Loder. He took me last night on my way home and spent the night and today questioning me."

"On what?" Josh asked when it was clear he wasn't about to come out with it himself.

"I..." Pete shook his head and Josh grabbed his chin to hold him still so he could work.

"Okay, Pete. You don't have to tell me but I'll deal with this guy."

"What?" Pete was clearly surprised. "Why?"

"My lawyer told me yesterday that Loder was snooping through my files this week illegally." Josh told him honestly. "My lawyers already moving things to deal with him and with your permission I'll mention this to him. Did anyone see it?"

"Just Lex Luthor." Pete said. "He's the one that pulled Loder off me."

"So Lex knows him?"

"I'm not sure I should be saying anything else." Pete frowned.

Josh stepped back and pulled off the gloves as he finished. "You're going close mouthed so it must be about Clark." Josh laughed. Pete glared at him. "Don't worry, Pete, I'll ask Clark for the truth and he can decide what he wants to tell me why the FBI is dealing with Lex Luthor and why one of their agents is trying to find out things about me and interrogating you."

"How'd you get that the FBI wanted anything to do with Lex Luthor?"

"How many people around here do you think they'd be interested in, Pete?" Josh grinned before turning professional. "Most of this will just heal in a few days but you need to keep the cuts clean and change the padding twice a day. Did the Doctor write a prescription for you?"

"Yeah, we're supposed to pick it up on the way out." Pete nodded.

"You get dressed and I'll go tell your mom to come back in and then pick up your antibiotics and cream for your wrists. I'll meet you in here." Josh smiled.

"You're not so bad as we all thought when you first moved here." Pete said as Josh bagged all the used equipment.

"I was leaving when I arrived here." Josh told him with a small laugh.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Talon**

Josh grinned at Lana as she set down a drink for him and Ryan. "So, you all packed a ready to go?" Josh asked as she sat down. She wasn't working today but had offered to make Josh and Ryan drinks regardless. She was due to leave for a year in Paris.

"I leave in an hour." Lana told him. "I'd have to be ready to go by now."

"You'll love Paris, Lana." Josh promised. "I've spent a summer there with my Uncle once before."

"I hope so. It'll be so different." Lana smiled. They spent a while chatting between the three of them and Ryan promised yet again to look after her horse for him and even threatened to get Josh out with him and Clark.

"What are your plans this summer?" Lana asked him and Ryan.

"We've got a holiday planned. With everything this year we need to get away." Josh told her. "Meet up with a couple of friends."

Ryan snorted and Josh cuffed him on the head just as Lana glanced at her watch and stood up. Josh and Ryan followed her up and they both hugged her and said their farewells. "You'll be missed, Lana." Ryan told her. "And don't worry about Clark, we'll look after him."

"How'd you..." Lana tailed off remembering how stupid that question was and then chuckled.

"And whatever it is that he didn't tell you isn't so big as to change how you feel about each other." Ryan continued with a small smile. Lana's eyes widened before she hugged him again.

Josh watched her leave and then sat down again. "Do I want to know what that was about?" He asked his younger brother as he slung his arm over his shoulders.

"All I've heard from them for the last few weeks is their worries over Lana leaving and losing their friendship." Ryan told him. "It's all..."

Josh frowned as Ryan stopped talking and tensed up. A moment later he was sitting up away from Josh and looking towards the door. Josh followed his gaze for a second but couldn't see anyone. "Ry?" Josh asked and touched him on the back. "What is it?"

"Somebody just thought your name." Ryan told him.

"How is that strange?" Josh started but Ryan turned to look at him and raised his eyebrows.

"Shit." Josh hissed through his teeth before he stood up and turned toward the counter. In the moved he scanned the room and saw the guy. He was sitting quite close to where Josh, Ryan and Lana had been sitting but because of the low wall and pillar he'd been overlooked. Ryan stood up with him. "I think it's time we get home, Ry." Josh said at normal pitch.

It didn't take them long to gather their things and get out to the road but instead of heading for the car Josh took them down the alley and into the nook formed by the Talon's side door. "Josh, what do we do?" Ryan asked.

"We stay calm." Josh told him and nudged him on the shoulder as they waited. Josh waited in silence until Ryan turned and nodded to him.

"I heard him thinking. He knows where we live but he doesn't want to break in." Ryan told him. "He apparated back to the motel."

"Did you get a room number?" Josh turned to him with a grin on his face. Ryan nodded and Josh laughed slightly. "Time we made an anonymous tip to the Smallville Sherriff's department."

Ryan laughed as they walked out onto the street and towards the nearest payphone to report that they'd seen another guest at the Smallville Motel taking a sizeable quantity of weapons into his room. It wouldn't take Sherriff Adams long to check it out and it would give Josh time to get home and get his things. He didn't know what they'd do but sitting here until the Wizard called in more of his kind wasn't his plan. He wouldn't fight unless he had to, not at the risk of Ryan getting hurt in the cross fire.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"_Josh?"_ Bart voice sounded through the phone. "_What's the matter?"_

Josh was in his room at home packing a few extra things to add to the bag of clothing and emergency supplies that lived in the boot of his car. Ryan was currently in his room doing the same thing. "Bart." Josh sighed. "I'm so glad you picked up. We saw one of _them_."

"_Them? As in a Wizard?"_ Bart gasped and Josh heard a commotion in the background. Somebody else, probably Arthur, was there. "_You need to get out of there. I can be there in five minutes."_

He was in the country then. "We're leaving." Josh told him simply. "We'll stay somewhere for the holidays and work out whether to move on or not."

"_Where can I meet you?"_ Bart asked.

"Find us on the way out of town." Josh told him unwilling to give out a direction unless the Wizard was smarter than the usual ones and was eavesdropping on him. Bart would just take a few spins around the town until he found the Jeep.

Bart hung up and Josh knew he'd soon be on his way. It would probably take him longer to tell Arthur what was happening and arrange a meeting than for him to get to Smallville. He was twisting to the side and turning to face the door before he really knew why but he found himself looking at the seemingly empty space in front of the door.

It was his animagus senses that had warned him about an intruder. Even in his human body the Leviathan was highly tuned to magical creatures. Not Wizards though since they were still human but any creature like itself. It had sensed whatever it was and now that Josh was looking he could see a distortion in the air.

"Drop the spell, Wizard." Josh ordered as his right hand went behind him to the table top and picked up his pocket knife. He opened it and brought it around front ready to use. He'd leave his sorcery till he needed it.

The air rippled and with an unspoken spell a man appeared before him. He was a rather ratty looking man which bags under his eyes but he was wearing what could pass as normal clothing which meant he'd spent his fair share of time in the normal world. "I don't mean you any harm." He said in a distinctly English accent, so different to the American accent that Josh had taken up.

"Yet you sneak into my bedroom under a spell." Josh hissed and twisted the blade of his knife slightly to catch the light, making it obvious he was serious. "What do you want?"

"You were raised by a Muggle. How do you know so much about magic?" The man asked.

Josh was interrupted from anything he could have said when Ryan appeared in the doorway. He'd clearly heard something from them. "Ry, take your bag and get in the car and drive."

"But..." Ryan frowned.

"Just go, Ry." Josh snapped at him. Ryan looked at the Wizard before he disappeared. He knew that Josh could get himself out of there in any number of ways and Josh knew it too but if he used magic he'd give away his largest advantage.

"Who was that?" The man asked him.

"Who are you?" Josh hissed.

"I'm sorry, Harry. My name's Remus Lupin. I was a good friend of your parents." The Wizard, Remus Lupin, told him.

"For starters my name isn't Harry." Josh told him harshly. "And being a friend of my parent's doesn't give you the right to barge into my home without asking."

"I only want to take you home, to where you belong." Lupin told him.

Josh seethed and he jumped forwards and grabbed the man by the throat and pushed him back into the door frame, hitting his spine against the wooden post, causing him pain. "I belonged with my Uncle. The man that saved me. It was you Wizards that murdered him!"

The man grabbed his hand and with surprising strength he pulled Josh's hand away from his throat. "I'm not here to hurt you, Harry. I'm here to take you home."

"To force me to be a tool!" Josh hissed and pushed himself away from the man ready to look for a way out but he needn't have bothered. Just as he was about to resort to using his magic and transport himself away there was an explosion of movement and the man hurtled across the room and into the wall, bouncing off of it with a sickening thud.

"Time to go." Bart announced with a relieved breath. Josh checked the now unconscious man to make sure he was in fact knocked out before he stood and pulled his boyfriend into a hug. "I passed Ryan in the Jeep. He drives pretty good for a newbie. He told me about the Wizard."

"Thanks." Josh nodded. "Let's get out of here."

Bart nodded and hefted Josh's holdall while Josh grabbed his diary and satchel bag. If there was one thing he couldn't let the Wizards take it was the diary with his whole life on display. As soon as they were outside Bart turned to face him. "Bart went to the Kents. I'll drop your bag there and go meet AC in Metropolis."

"We'll go that way. I've got an idea of where to stay."

"Where?" Bart asked.

"Not here." Josh shook his head. Bart glanced up at the upstairs window and nodded before he quickly kissed Josh on the lips and then was simply gone. Josh glanced around before he jogged around the side of the house and raised his hand in front of his chest. In a moment his hand flashed with the green light of his sorcery. "_Abige!"_

A flutter of green magic was the only sign of his departure and he reappeared at the base of the barn at the Kent farm, out of view of the house. He found his bag on the ground nearby and smiled. He wasn't yet good enough to take that much stuff with him without tiring himself out. He pulled out his phone and dialled Ryan's number knowing that he couldn't just go in since he had no way of getting to the Kent farm in the time allowed without his car. Ryan would have to drive out and pick Josh up from the road.

"_Josh!"_ Ryan gasped out as he answered. "_Are you okay?"_

"I'm fine, Ry." Josh promised him. "Bart knocked him out. What did you tell the Kents?"

"_I said that a man from the people chasing you showed up."_ Ryan told him.

"Do you want to stay here, Ry?" Josh asked.

"_I'm coming with you."_ Ryan answered instantly.

"Okay, meet me out on the road in ten minutes." Josh told him. "I need to make a call to sort us out somewhere to stay."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day – 100 miles east of Metropolis**

Josh pulled the car to a stop to the side of a sports car and he, Ryan and Bart got out of his Jeep and lifted their bags from the boot and turned for the doorway. "Relax, Ryan. He's a good guy."

"You assume from one meeting." Ryan argued.

"Well you can have a look when you meet him and tell us for sure." Bart assured him. Ryan looked at Josh's boyfriend before turning to nod at Josh, taking up the task without complaint. Josh looked over the manor house and it's lush, sheltered, gardens as they walked towards the wooden doors. It was a very nice place that was clearly an inherited estate, probably dating back to the times when the United States was building itself up into the power it was today.

Bart rang on the doorbell and in seconds the door was being opened and a woman wearing a suit smiled at them as she took them in. Josh knew that Bart and Ryan were presentable but that he was bordering on looking too rebellious. He was wearing ripped jeans as normal and a short sleeved shirt with purposely created tears, one across his right shoulder and another just under his left ribs. That and the black sweat band around his head and his unruly hair made him stand out to a massive degree.

"You must be Mr. Ackervey." She decided to address Josh.

"That's me." Josh nodded and stepped up the last step and shook her hand. "This is my adopted younger brother, Ryan and Bart Allen."

"The Master of the house is just coming down." She told him. "My name is Joanna Maquelle. His personal assistant."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Josh told her in his politest tone of voice.

"Come inside." She told them and stepped out of the way of the door. Josh walked inside followed by the other two and into a large entrance hall with a single staircase curving up the far wall. Just as they got inside and the door closed Josh's eyes were drawn to the top of the stairs just as Oliver Queen started down them.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	16. Lost Chance

Outsiders

A/N; Please read the message in bold at the top of my profile regarding updates. Please enjoy.

Chapter 16; Lost chance

**Immediately afterwards**

Josh smiled at the man that had rescued him from a fate of being Lionel Luthor's experiment even though neither Oliver Queen nor Lionel Luthor had known that the Leviathan in their tank had been anything to do with a human being at the time.

Oliver smiled at him brightly and Josh shook his hand as soon as he was level with them. "Josh. Bart." Oliver smiled. "I'm glad you called me."

"As much as I hate to admit it I didn't have many options at the last moment." Josh told him. "Thank you."

"No problem." Oliver nodded before glancing at Ryan curiously who instantly stepped into Josh's side.

"Oliver, this is my younger brother, Ryan." Josh introduced.

Oliver smiled at him and offered his hand to the sixteen year old. "Welcome to my home." Oliver told him. "Maybe we should go talk about what brought this on so suddenly. You said you needed to hide from someone?"

Josh nodded and glanced at Oliver's personal assistant and Oliver nodded and turned to her. "We'll be in the lounge, Joanna." Oliver told her. "Could you make sure the kitchen is setting up for an extra three for dinner?"

"Of course." Joanna nodded before excusing herself.

"The lounge is upstairs." Oliver told them. "You can leave your bags down here if you wish and I'll have them taken up to your rooms. I've had three rooms put aside near the back of the house."

"Ryan and I will share." Josh told him, half reminding him and half testing him.

"I thought so but I didn't want to... you know... assume." Bart snorted in amusement as Oliver went just the slightest shade of red. Ryan laughed as well but Josh just smiled at Oliver who waved them towards the stairs and led them up to the upper floor and down a corridor to a small lounge. Well small for a mansion like this but it had a brilliant view of the gardens.

As soon as they were inside the room Oliver shut the door and before anyone could say anything Ryan leaned into Josh's ear to whisper so that Bart and Oliver couldn't hear, not that he minded Josh's boyfriend hearing. "He's not a bad person. He's curious about what you and Bart can do but he doesn't want to hurt you."

Josh turned his head to look at his little brother and nodded before leaning in to whisper back. "It's up to you whether to bring what you can do to light. I trust him with our secrets."

Ryan nodded but didn't hint at whether he would or not. "You alright?" Oliver asked.

"We're fine." Josh told him before he sent Ryan to sit down and with that told Oliver that he would explain. "You remember I told you about my Uncle?" Josh asked.

"You said he was murdered." Oliver frowned in confusion before that confusion turned into concern. "Did they come back for you? Are you alright?"

"We're fine." Josh told him.

"The guy that showed up was slightly different to the one that..." Ryan trailed off. "He just wanted to talk to Josh. Get him to go back to Josh's rightful home."

"I'm in my rightful home, Ry." Josh told him, picking up the small amount of concern. "What they think I need isn't what's best for me."

"You have a home somewhere else?" Oliver asked and frowned when Bart and Ryan both narrowed their eyes at him. "Sorry."

"It's fine." Josh announced. "You're taking us in so I guess you deserve a little of the truth."

"Josh, you shouldn't have to..." Bart started but Josh shook his head to cut him off.

"The people that killed Uncle Kev have been hunting me ever since I was eight." Josh started and Oliver leaned forwards in the chairs they were sitting in to give Josh his whole attention. By the reactions of the others he knew it was important and that he wouldn't be getting a retelling. "After my mum and dad were murdered when I was fifteen months old the people now hunting me put me with my mother's sister. My Aunt. Her husband..."

Bart grabbed his hand when Josh's throat went dry and took over this bit for him. "His actual Uncle abused and neglected him until he was eight when he decided that Josh was too much of a hassle regardless of the pleasure that sick son-of-a-bitch got out of it and he took Josh to a multi-story car park and..."

Bart winced as Oliver's eyes snapped to Josh's neck in horror as he realised where this was going. Josh settled into Bart's side as his boyfriend put an arm over his shoulders. "He severed the artery in my neck. If Uncle Kev hadn't been following us I would have died." Josh continued. "He'd been watching the abuse and because he worked with kids with the same sort of thing he knew what he was looking at. He took me to the hospital and as soon as I was healthy and the doctors started talking about finding my family and returning me to them he took me from the hospital and we ran."

"That's kidnapping." Oliver frowned though it was obvious he didn't disapprove.

"He didn't care." Ryan told him. "And nobody else in their right mind would either."

"Even so." Josh spoke up. "Uncle Kev was charged with kidnapping and six months later gave himself up knowing that running with me for my whole life would be too much. With the facts of the case he was pardoned by the court for the crime and I was given into his custody legally."

"So anyway." Josh continued. "Those people that put me there have been trying to find me and take me from Uncle Kev and caught up to our trail in Metropolis and found Uncle Kev. As soon as I found out I left Ryan there because they didn't know about him and I ran away until I could protect myself and him."

"That's when I rescued you?" Oliver asked and Josh nodded. "When did you get home again?"

"Back in February." Josh admitted easily. "The man that killed my Uncle found out about Ryan somehow and..."

"What?" Oliver asked.

Josh glanced at Ryan who stared at Oliver for a moment before looking at Josh and nodding. "He tortured him." Josh told Oliver abruptly. "He broke Ryan's arm and three of his ribs and tore apart some of his muscles with a way they have to create utter agony."

Oliver looked over at Ryan who tilted his head. "If you want to know what Josh did to him then you should just ask." Ryan told Oliver before glancing at Josh. "He thinks you should have killed him."

"How...?" Oliver frowned.

"Later." Josh told Oliver. "And I did."

"Did what?" Oliver asked before his eyes widened.

"I lost control when I found Ryan like that and the guy was killed." Josh told him.

"How?" Oliver asked.

"You haven't seen the half of what I can do." Josh sighed. "But I don't know whether you should know that much yet."

"What about Ryan?" Oliver asked. "What did he just do?"

"Do you want to tell him that story?" Josh asked his little brother. "He knows about my healing powers."

Ryan bit his lip for a moment before nodding and turning to Oliver. "A couple of years back, before Josh arrived in Smallville I ended up there when I ran away from my step mum and her new husband. They found me a place to go but when she found out about me she couldn't deal with it. She sent me to Summerholt to have a look at."

"Summerholt is a research centre that studies the brain in particular." Oliver frowned. "And they're one of the ones I've been trying to put out of commission."

"Same here." Josh told him bluntly.

"What did you have for them to take note?" Oliver asked Ryan.

Ryan glanced at Josh. It had been a long time since he'd admitted his abilities to anyone. Josh nodded to him slowly and he turned back to Oliver. "I had a tumour that was triggering a certain composition of chemicals that allowed me to read surface thoughts from anyone near me."

Oliver's eyebrows shot up and Ryan looked at Josh pleadingly to finish the story. "They gave him injections that sped up the progress of the tumour so that they could study it without having to wait. They shortened his lifespan by several years but Ryan managed to get word to a friend he made in Smallville who broke him out. Ryan collapsed in Smallville and I met him in the Medical Centre." Josh explained before pausing. "To put an end to the story I healed the tumour in his brain. It took a few months but his brain found a way to mimic the mind reading ability without the damage. I've had to heal major headaches a few times because of imbalanced chemicals but his body is beginning to regulate them itself."

"So you can read minds?" Oliver asked.

"Not as loud as I used to but I couldn't really concentrate on them before." Ryan told him. "I know you're more interested in our safety than anything we may be able to do for you."

Ryan glanced at Josh with a look of acceptance in his face and Josh relaxed slightly. "So, now that you trust me what can I do for you?" Oliver asked.

"Right now my only concern is Ryan's safety." Josh told him.

"What about you and Bart?" Oliver asked.

"Well, Bart can move so fast they'd blink and miss him. He's not an easy person to track down either." Josh admitted with a glance at his boyfriend.

"And when the day comes that Josh worries more about himself than anyone else then I'll take the bus." Bart announced with a laugh.

"But seriously." Josh looked at Oliver. "You've seen a small version of what I can turn into so I can get myself out of a tight spot if I need to."

"Yet you needed me to rescue you the last time." Oliver frowned.

"Getting himself out of trouble like that has other consequences." Bart pointed out. "Letting Lionel Luthor see what he can do for starters."

"That said I was in trouble and I would have needed a lot of luck to get out." Josh told him. "I do owe you for saving me."

"You don't owe me." Oliver told him. "And I don't need anything from you if you did."

"In return for that I'm trusting you." Josh told him. "And Ryan just proved you can be trusted."

"So if Ryan's safety is your major concern, what is it that I can do?" Oliver asked. "I can set somewhere up for you to go. A safe house maybe?"

"We'll have to think about it." Josh sighed. "Ryan's had a lot to deal with and taking him away from his friends in Smallville isn't necessarily the best thing to do. Plus he's got people there that will protect him if he's in danger. If _they_ catch up to us anywhere else then we won't have that sort of protection."

"What sort of protection?" Ryan asked with a concerned frown.

"I'm well aware that Clark has a knack for protecting you." Josh chuckled. "Whether he has a power like we do or not isn't really in it. There is admittedly something rather extraordinary about his ability to be wherever danger lurks and if there is something I'm in no doubt that you know what it is, Ry." Josh laughed at Ryan's surprised look at being confronted about something that they'd both known had hung between them. "The point I'm trying to make is that if we go anywhere else you've only got me to protect you. If we stay in Smallville then you have other people to look after you. And if something happens to me then you have people to take you in."

"Nothing's..." Ryan started.

"Something could, Ryan." Josh argued. "How many times have I gotten myself laid up in hospital these last two years?"

"Barely any of those were your own injuries." Ryan argued. "Two were from healing me!"

"Healing him?" Oliver frowned.

"I take on a smaller version of the symptoms of the people I heal." Josh explained quickly.

"One of which was a sniper bullet!" Ryan argued.

"My point exactly, Ryan." Josh sighed. "If I heal people I make the conscious decision to render myself unable to protect you or myself. Some people might say that's a stupid thing to do but they're heartless. I can't watch people die when I can save them, especially not people like you, Ryan. If I did that anywhere else you'd have to look after yourself."

"I think I get it." Oliver nodded. "Dinner should be soon but we'll get together tomorrow at some point and look at ways to get you back to Smallville without being found out."

Josh nodded and followed Oliver as he stood up. Bart stood up and took his hand and Ryan, still rather unnerved, stood as well. Just as they were about to walk out of the room to head for dinner Josh's cell phone rang and he pulled it from his pocket. The name on the front wasn't one that he recognised. "I'll catch up if that's okay?" Josh asked.

Oliver nodded. "Just follow the hallway down to the main entrance and then head into the dining room."

Josh answered as Bart closed the door to give him some privacy. "Hello?" He asked.

"Is that Joshua Ackervey?" A woman's voice asked.

"Sure." Josh grunted. "And this is?"

"This is the Smallville Sherriff's department." She told him. "I'm going to put your call through to the Sherriff, please hold."

There was a moment where Josh could only hear a dull tone before he was put through to another cell phone and this time he recognised the voice that called his name. "Mr. Ackervey?"

"Sherriff Adams?" Josh asked. "What is it?"

"Firstly, Mr. Ackervey, are you and your brother in any trouble?" She asked.

"We're safe, Sherriff. What's the problem?"

"We were concerned when we went to your house and found signs that somebody had ransacked your home." She told him. "We tried the Kent farm but we couldn't get an answer so we're just heading over there now."

Josh was quiet for a moment. "We're staying with a friend out of town for a while." Josh announced.

"Care to tell me why?" She asked.

"Just needed a break, Sherriff." Josh tried.

"Nice try, Mr. Ackervey." She scoffed. "But I just tried the Medical Centre and as far as they are aware you should be in tomorrow morning."

"Okay, Sherriff." Josh sighed. "You want the truth?"

"It would be nice, Mr. Ackervey. I've got other problems to deal with today." She did actually sound rather strained though she was clearly relieved that he and Ryan were alive and well.

"The people that killed my Uncle and attacked Ryan and me when I returned from running away showed up in town." Josh told her bluntly. "I did the only thing I could to keep Ryan safe and that was leaving town as fast as possible."

"This is a matter for the police, Mr. Ackervey." She told him sternly. "You can't just take off and leave. If you want them caught you have to call my office."

"You can't catch them, Sherriff." Josh told her. "My Uncle tried that approach to start with."

"I'm going to need more to prove your safe, Mr. Ackervey." She sighed. "I can't just ignore such a blatant ransacking of your home and this disappearance."

"I'll speak to my lawyer and have him sort something out." Josh sighed. "You met him I believe when the Luthors tried to seize control of Ryan."

"Of course." She sighed. "And, Josh, there's something else you need to know. Since you've left..."

"What is it?" Josh asked hearing the tone of her voice as she trailed off.

"You were aware of the trial of Lionel Luthor?" She asked.

"Of course, Lex Luthor was working with the FBI on it. Chloe and Clark were testifying earlier today. Ryan and I didn't go because of the restraining orders and our old history. Our testimonies were there but..." Josh trailed off. "I thought he'd been convicted?"

"He has." She clearly winced there. "Lex Luthor has been admitted to the Medical Centre after being poisoned at home and two hours ago the safe house Chloe Sullivan and her father were sent to exploded."

"Exploded...?" Josh whispered in shock. "A bomb?"

"The cause isn't yet clear." She told him. "I was concerned over finding your whereabouts in case you had been targeted."

"We might have been." Josh bit his lip. "But we left before the trial was over."

"Listen, Mr. Ackervey." The Sherriff sighed refocusing the conversation. "I'm sorry to tell you that Miss. Sullivan and her father had just arrived at the house when the explosion happened. They were caught in the explosion."

"They're in hospital though right?" Josh tried but he knew better than that.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Ackervey. They were killed." She told him and Josh choked but didn't say anything. "Mr. Ackervey. Are you still there?"

"I'm here." Josh choked out. "I just got tied up with thinking about how I'm going to tell Ryan."

"I am sorry." She sighed.

"Thank you for checking on us. We hope to be back in Smallville soon but if something changes I'll be sure to let you know." Josh told her rather emotionlessly.

"I understand, Mr. Ackervey." She sighed. There was a moments silence before the line went dead and Josh hung up.

Josh fell back to sit on the sofa and pressed his face into his hands. He gathered himself before opening his phone again and selecting the Kent Farm from the list. The phone rang until he was sure it was about to go onto the answering machine before it was picked up. "Hello?" It was Martha and she sounded absolutely terrible.

"Mrs. Kent?" Josh asked not knowing what he was supposed to say. He knew that they'd be effected by Chloe's death and so would Clark.

"Oh thank heavens!" She almost shouted. "You're alright? Tell me you and Ryan are alright!"

"We're fine." Josh assured her. "We're at the home of a friend of mine."

"Oh, Josh..." She was crying.

"I know about Chloe." Josh sighed. "The Sherriff called. Our house was ransacked by the people that came for me I think and she was concerned that we were in trouble."

"Have you told Ryan?" She asked.

"Not yet. I just got off of the phone." Josh sighed but forced himself to deal with it calmly so he could tell Ryan without crying because that would make it worse. "I just wanted you, Mr. Kent and Clark to know that me and Ryan are safe."

"Oh, Josh." Martha sobbed. "They... Clark, he..."

"Mrs. Kent?" Josh asked as Martha struggled to contain herself. "Mrs. Kent? Is Clark alright?" He didn't get a response straightaway. "Mrs. Kent! What happened to Clark? Is he alright?"

"We don't know yet, Josh." She gasped. "He ran away."

"Ran away?" Josh was shocked. "Why? Where to?"

"He... Jonathan's in a coma in the hospital. They were together and Clark ran away." She sobbed.

"You're sure he ran away and that Luthor didn't do something to him?" Josh asked trying to distract her from her husband being in a coma though the new topic wasn't much better.

"We're sure that this didn't have anything to do with what happened to Chloe." She told him.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Kent. Do you want..." He started but she interrupted him.

"Now listen to me, Josh. You keep Ryan safe and you do that for as long as you need to. Don't come back here until you're sure it's safe to do so. Nobody wants you or Ryan to get hurt, especially Jonathan and Clark. I'll manage and Clark's done these sorts of things before. He'll be back and Jonathan will recover."

"Yeah." Josh nodded to himself. "I'll have my phone on me all the time so you'll let me know if you hear anything at all and you have to tell me everything they say about Mr. Kent."

"Of course." She muttered. "You be safe."

Josh hung up the phone and stood up and paced in front of the windows nervously, trying to keep himself calm and find a way to tell Ryan without Ryan breaking down. He couldn't take losing Chloe, Clark and Mr. Kent in the same day, not after the threat of Josh getting caught as well.

In the end Josh found his way down to the dining room where the others were already eating. Oliver and Joanna sitting on the other side of the table saw him first and Oliver half stood when he saw the look on Josh's face and undoubtedly his saddened eyes. That of course drew Bart and Ryan's attention to him and Bart only just stopped himself from revealing to Joanna what he could do. It took him more than the normal split second but he was in front of Josh in only a couple of seconds regardless. He hugged Josh who hugged him back.

"What's wrong?" Bart asked but Josh knew that he couldn't tell Bart, even whisper it to him, until Ryan knew or his little brother would take it from Bart's mind, accidentally or not.

Josh pulled away and looked at Ryan and headed over to him. "I'm sorry, Oliver, but I need a minute or so with Ryan."

"Of course, Josh." Oliver stood up and touched him on the shoulder as he left the room with Joanna, obviously seeing that something was seriously wrong enough to leave their dinners till later.

Josh hugged Ryan as soon as his brother was standing. "Josh, you're scaring me." Ryan told him.

"I'm sorry, Ryan." Josh sighed and pulled back. "Something bad happened back in Smallville."

"What?" Ryan asked, going pale.

"There was an explosion." Josh sighed and looked down. "Chloe and her father were caught in the blast. I'm sorry, Ry, they didn't make it." Ryan gulped painfully and Josh reached out as Ryan went limp and he held him up. "I'm so sorry, Ryan, but something happened to Clark and Mr. Kent. Mr. Kent is in a coma at the medical centre and Clark ran away again. Mrs. Kent doesn't know where he went or what happened."

Ryan looked up at him but his eyes had tears in them and he didn't say anything and merely buried his head into Josh's chest and hung onto him. Josh sighed and pressed his face into Ryan's hair even as Bart hugged him from behind, giving Josh the support even as he gave it to Ryan.

Right now Josh would merely allow himself to grieve and only once he was sure Ryan was alright would he start worrying about what they were going to do.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two weeks later**

Josh leaned on the window looking out towards the stables where Ryan was trying to teach Bart how to ride under the watchful eye of Oliver's stable hand and Arthur who had arrived earlier in the week. He smiled when Bart's horse cantered sideways and Bart almost fell off. What made him smile was the way that Ryan burst out laughing and almost fell off of his own horse as he giggled.

"It's good to see you smiling again." Oliver told him and Josh almost jumped, he hadn't noticed the older man's arrival. "You live for him don't you?"

It was more of a statement than anything else and Josh turned to look at him. "We all have to protect something in life. Ryan's the person that I have to protect so it hurts me to see him upset."

"Being upset is understandable, Josh." Oliver pointed out. "He and Chloe were good friends as I hear it."

"They were." Josh nodded.

"It's come to my attention that the explosion might not have been an accident." Oliver sighed and sat on the edge of his desk. Josh looked at him and shrugged. "You knew that didn't you?"

Again it was a statement. Josh hadn't really told Oliver the whole story about how they were involved in the Luthors after they had been given the news. "It's not exactly subtle." Josh grunted. "She testified against him in court and she was the strongest witness. My own testimony against him was against other crimes but hers was against him for murder and that was what got her killed."

Oliver sighed and it was a few minutes before he spoke again. "I think I've got an idea how to put you back in Smallville. I don't know how long you'll get anonymously from these guys that are chasing you but it's an idea."

"What have you got in mind?"

"You say these guys track the old fashioned way?" Oliver pressed. "Following paper trails and so on rather than hiring investigators and such?" Josh nodded. "Well I was thinking that if your home was property of someone else then they'd have trouble tracking it. We can sell your home in Smallville and empty it as if you've had your things picked up and brought to you. We can easily reroute everything you own back into Smallville in smaller amounts so they can't be tracked and we can make a paper trail and use the money you get from selling the house to buy something in another city and put them off the trail. That way we can keep selling and buying houses and lead them on a chase around the country."

"And where do we go?"

"That's the good bit." Oliver grinned. "I'll put up the money to buy a house in Smallville in a few months and you and Ryan can move into it. That way the house belongs to me personally and not to you. If it's several months before you move in then they'll have long since chased you across the country and even if they suspect it you've done this sort of thing before and they'd hardly think it more likely for you to stay put."

"Even if they come back it still buys me more time to find a way to permanently send them packing." Josh sighed before he turned back to look out of the window at Bart and Ryan. It was a long time before he spoke again and when he turned to look at Oliver the man was sitting behind his desk reading some papers from his company. "Alright, Oliver." Josh sighed and the man looked up at him. "I'll let you help but when it comes to cheques and balances I don't want you out of pocket. You're already helping us out enough."

"Josh. I have money and I want to use it to help people." Oliver laughed. "You have an ability and you use it without regards to payback and it's the same for my money. Even so the beauty of this idea is that the first house you can buy can be one of my developments. That way you're paying me back."

Josh chuckled. "You're a very strange man, Oliver Queen."

"I'm not nearly as strange as you are, Josh." Oliver laughed and glanced over Josh's clothing.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two months later – September**

Oliver had been true to his word and after weeks of planning and work and with Simon's help they sold the house in Smallville, bought one in San Francisco, and then sent people to collect all of their belongings and transport them, by plane so they couldn't be tracked, out of Smallville. They'd found a house in Smallville out in the farms rather than in town and over the last month of summer they shipped everything they had back to Smallville in smaller parts and into the new house. The house that Oliver had bought with the money that they'd spent on the house in San Francisco.

And thus a week before the school year was due to start they'd moved back to Smallville with just Josh's Jeep with Bart, Josh and Ryan in it. Josh was due to start his shift at the Medical Centre in only an hour and Ryan was at the Kent farm like he had been at every available moment since arriving back in the small town. To be with the Mrs. Kent, and to care for Kite who had become rather lonely without Ryan, Clark or Lana around.

Josh walked into the Medical Centre with a wary air about him not knowing what he was supposed to expect from his work friends after he had disappeared yet again. He realised he needn't have worried though since as soon as he walked into the nurses' station he was sent flying backwards as Anne hugged him. He heard laughing and she pulled away and let Josh look around at the eight nurses watching him with smiles.

He went around for a few minutes accepting greetings before a code blue broke through the atmosphere and half the nurses rushed away. Josh sat in one of the newly vacated chairs and crossed his ankles as he picked up the patients roster and scanned it as Michael perched himself on the table in front of him.

"Nobody wants to really ask but why'd you come back?" Josh looked up at him as Michael spoke and saw confusion in his eyes but didn't say anything until the older man explained what he meant. Michael chuckled. "I mean it's obvious that something spooked you again and you took off to make sure Ryan was alright but you spent years jumping from place to place, why not just do that again? Why come back to a place that's only taken so much from you?"

Josh sighed and stood up and before Michael could say anything he hugged him and put his head on his shoulder. Michael was surprised but didn't say anything and merely welcomed Josh back properly. Josh eventually pulled away. "Because nowhere else in the country can I be sure that Ryan has people that will watch out for him if I'm gone."

"I suppose, but still..." Michael started.

"It's a risk, yes." Josh nodded. "But we didn't do this on a whim, we spent months covering our tracks. I'm not saying that I'm completely safe but I've bought myself a little more time for Ryan to grow up without the aggravations of moving every few months and not being able to have friends. I want Ryan to have the childhood he was never allowed to have."

"And you'd pay for that with your own safety?" Michael asked.

"I'm as safe here as anywhere else if they catch up to us." Josh told him.

"Who's _they_ exactly?" Michael pressed.

"I can't tell you that, Michael." Josh sighed.

"You mean the people that killed your Uncle?" Michael pushed him regardless.

"Yes, Michael." Josh sighed. "The people that I know killed my Uncle and the same people that came for Ryan and I when I got back and hospitalised me."

Michael sighed and shook his head sadly but didn't carry on the depressing conversation for any longer. "Is there anyone you think I should check in on?" Josh asked putting the conversation back onto work. Michael sighed again but grabbed the list from Josh and started catching him up on the current patients and which ones Josh could possibly help.

It was a couple of hours later that Josh walked out of the rooms and into the main waiting room to see something that shocked him. Clark was standing in the middle of the room with a red blanket around his shoulders but that did little to hide the fact he was obviously very naked under the blanket. He was about to call out to him when Clark turned and looked right at him before his gaze slid straight on by completely ignoring him. He frowned and his moment's pause was all that was needed for a girl that looked slightly older than him to cut in front of him to get to the Admissions Nurse that had just exited from behind the desk.

"Look, he's nothing to do with me!" She blurted angrily. "I just found him in the middle of the field. He doesn't even know his own name!"

"It's just the way it works." The male Nurse pressed. "Until we can admit him he's your responsibility. Now I need to call a deputy and get your statement."

Just as Josh was about to turn around and say something Clark reached out to look at something and his blanket slid out of his hands to pool at his feet, baring his naked form for all to see. There was a shocked gasp from an older lady who was the only other person in the room.

"Perhaps we should find him some clothes first?" Josh glanced at the girl and the Nurse, Brian, with a smirk.

Brian rolled his eyes at Josh who smirked. Josh made his decision then that he'd 'not recognise' Clark until he had a better idea what was happening and could get Martha there. Hopefully she was still visiting Jonathan in his room and hadn't gone to pick up Ryan and take him to the farm from Jordan Cross' home. "So you can take him off my hands?" The girl asked.

"I can't do that." Josh told her. "You have to wait with him until the deputy takes your statement. It's the law."

"Josh? Take them up to room eighteen and get the boy some clothes." Brian sighed and Josh chuckled before heading over to the still naked Clark and lifting the blanket.

"You'd better keep that around you, mate." Josh told him and Clark took the blanket and after a pause where he studied Josh intently he wrapped it around himself.

"I need to go." Clark told him in a tone that Josh had never heard before from him. It was one that suggested it didn't really matter what people thought of him as long as he got his objectives done.

"You can go as soon as we get you checked out." Josh told him and let the girl take Clark's arm and he led the two up to the elevator to take them up to the next floor.

"Josh right?" The girl asked as soon as they were in the right room. Josh glanced at her and saw her eyes assessing his appearance. Even being summer at the moment the hospital was a little chilly so he was wearing a long sleeved dark blue t-shirt under the scrubs he tended to put over the top to make him look like he worked there and also in case he got something on him. Apart from that though he didn't look like he belonged there. He was wearing a pair of baggy black, and torn, jeans and black vans on his feet as well as his normal black sweat band around his messed up hair. The last place her eyes settled was where everybody eventually looked, his neck, with the second of only two things that his relatives had given to him.

She wasn't stupid either, it took her all of a second to recognise something in the scar and her eyes widened. "You don't look old enough to work here." She settled on instead of asking about the scar which was good for her otherwise Josh wouldn't have tried to be nice. He always slipped back into his rebel attitude when dealing with someone that stuck their nose into his scars. Children were the only exception though obviously he never told them the truth.

"Clearly I am." Josh smirked at her but then flicked his ID tag with his thumb where it hung on his scrubs.

"You're a volunteer?" She asked.

"That's what it says." Josh chuckled before he pulled out a set of clean hospital wear from one of the draws and passed it to a silent Clark. "Put those on." Josh ordered and Clark dropped the blanket to change.

"He doesn't seem shy." She announced before she looked at him sharply. "You from around here?" She asked almost hopefully.

"That's a lousy way to start a conversation." Josh snorted in amusement. "Perhaps a name would be good."

"Oh... Lois." She offered her hand. "Lois Lane."

"That's the name..." Josh trailed off suddenly with a frown. When Chloe had been writing articles for the Daily Planet she'd used the name Lois Lane to cover herself. "You're Chloe's cousin?"

"You know Chloe?" She asked. "So you _are_ from around here?"

"I knew Chloe." Josh sighed. "We were friends. I'm sorry about what happened."

"What's your name?" She asked.

"Josh Ackervey." Josh told her simply.

"I remember reading your name on the evidence list for Lionel Luthor's bail hearing." Lois seemed to leap at anything she could get out of Josh. "You're supposed to stand witness to his trial next week."

"I'm a character witness, nothing more." Josh grunted. "Without Chloe he'll walk free. Blackmail isn't enough to lock him away for."

She seemed almost ready to ask about that more but then thought better of it. "Look Lois, I don't know why you're here but there are a lot of people in this town that loved Chloe. She and I might have had a few falling outs over some of her investigative methods but I do miss her and she'll be missed."

"I'm not here to miss her. I'm here to find a way to prove that Lionel did this so she didn't die for nothing." She told him looking rather upset.

Josh sighed and reached into his pocket for his pad of paper and pen and scribbled down his cell phone number. "I don't know what else you expect to be able to scrounge up but give me a call tomorrow and I'll do what I can to help." Josh sighed again and handed her the note which she glanced at for a moment before slipping it into her pocket. "I need to go find this deputy. Don't let him go anywhere."

Josh quickly left the room and headed straight up the stairs towards the upper floor where the long term Intensive Care wards were and straight to Jonathan's just in time for Martha to walk out and nearly walk straight into him. "Josh!" She gasped in surprise though she was clearly a little upset, probably about the state of her husband. He'd been into the hospital to see Jonathan in the last couple of weeks to take a look at him but there was nothing he could do for the comatose man.

"Mrs. Kent." Josh grabbed her shoulders. "Clark's just been brought in by a girl that found him lying near the road."

"Clark!" Martha almost cried.

"Mrs. Kent. Hold on a second." Josh held her in place. "I've just been with him for the last ten minutes since he was brought in and he didn't recognise me. Not my face and not my name and the girl says he doesn't know his own name either."

"How?" Martha gasped and Josh saw the relief vanish from her expression and he knew how painful this had to be for her. She had a husband in a coma and a son who had been missing for two months and now that he was back had amnesia.

"I don't know how, maybe a head impact or mental trauma." Josh sighed. "There are a thousand different things that can cause it and I haven't had a chance to have a look yet and if he doesn't recognise me he is going to freak out if I try."

"We have to get him home." Martha announced. Josh paused, weighing the pros and cons before finally settling on agreement.

"Alright." Josh nodded. "Get Clark home. I'll get out of work soon and come take a look at him. I'll call Ryan on the way and get him to stay at Jordan's for a little bit more so he doesn't have to see Clark this way. At least until I know what's wrong with him."

"Oh Josh." Martha sighed in gratitude and kissed him on the cheek.

"He's this way." Josh told her before leading her back down through the hospital to where he'd left Lois and Clark only to find the room empty. He turned away from the door and saw Lois just duck around a corner, chasing somebody and shouting after them and he and Martha took off at a run and got around the corner in time to see Clark.

"Clark!" Martha cried and dashed forward even as Lois grabbed Clark on the arm and turned him back around. Martha grabbed his hands and Lois backed away in bemusement and looked at Josh as he arrived. "Oh, it's good to see you."

"Who are you?" Clark asked and Martha, even though she'd known, flinched.

"It's me..." Martha choked out. "Mom."

"Don't take it personally. He doesn't even know his own name." Lois added helpfully. "My name's Lois." She introduced.

"Thank you, Lois." Martha told her before turning to lead Clark away down the corridor.

"Hang on." Lois called after her.

"Let her take him, Lois." Josh told her gently and touched her on the arm. "She's got her husband upstairs who's been in a coma since Clark disappeared."

"Wait! You knew who he was?" Lois rounded on him and Josh just shrugged at her.

"And you knew she..." Lois frowned. "You knew she was his mother?"

"Who Mrs. Kent?" Josh chuckled. "She's been like a mother to me and my younger brother since my Uncle was killed."

"Wait!" She shouted again. "Kent? As in Clark Kent?"

"That's how it works I guess." Josh pointed out sarcastically but before he could even finish she was off down the corridor after Martha and Clark who had long since disappeared. Josh disappeared quickly afterwards to find Michael and tell him he had to take off.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The Kent Farm**

Josh drove into the driveway of the farm and quickly left his car to walk up to the kitchen door and seeing Martha inside opened the door even as he knocked on the frame. She smiled at him and he glanced around. "Where's Clark?"

"I left him in his room for a bit to change into some of his clothes." She sighed.

"He hasn't recognised anything then?" Josh asked wearily and she shook her head. "I can take a look but he's likely to freak out if he doesn't remember me. He might have just hit his head on something a while back."

She nodded just as Clark walked down the stairs and Josh turned to look at him with a smile as Clark studied him even as he stopped at the bottom and didn't say a word. Josh had the feeling he was being assessed. "I'll just be upstairs for a moment." Martha told them and paused only long enough beside Clark to touch his arm.

"Do you feel any pain at all, Clark?" Josh asked as he moved forwards.

"No." Clark told him. "Do I know you?"

"Yeah." Josh sighed. "For the last few years. I'm sure it'll all come back to you soon."

"Why are you here?" Clark asked.

"To see if I can do anything to speed this along." Josh told him and finally came to stand just in front of Clark. "This might freak you out a little but you've seen this before. I'm just going to try to heal you."

Josh reached out his hand and touched the side of Clark's head. Clark merely frowned at him without moving and Josh's hand glowed white. Josh was just able to find out that Clark was perfectly healthy when his hand snaked up so fast Josh didn't even see it. Clark grabbed his wrist and forced his hand away. His grip was so tight that Josh gasped in pain as he felt pain shoot up his arm.

"Clark, you're hurting me!" Josh gritted his teeth but Clark merely glared at him.

"Your kind won't succeed." Clark hissed at him. "They don't belong to you."

"Clark! I don't know what you're talking about!" Josh gasped trying to free his arm and failing.

"Leave!" Clark growled and shoved Josh away from him and straight back into the counter top behind him. His back struck the edge and pain shot up his back and he had to hold himself up.

"Josh!" Martha almost shrieked as she ran into the room, grabbing Clark's arm. Josh knew she'd missed everything though, possibly only seen Clark shove him away.

"It's alright, Mrs. Kent." Josh sighed and straightened up. "I was just leaving."

"Are you alright?" Martha asked and Josh just nodded and turned for the door.

"I need to pick up Ryan anyway. Sorry I couldn't help." Josh sighed and let the door shut behind him and was in his car before he let himself pull up the sleeve of his shirt and studying the dark shade of his right arm where it was already starting to bruise. Clark's grip had been like a metal vice closing relentlessly over his pliable flesh. He'd known that Clark was strong for their age but this was even more than he'd expected from the farm grown Clark Kent. Clark was clearly not himself and until he was he'd have to keep Ryan away from him which wouldn't go down well with his little brother.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next morning**

Josh grabbed his shirt as he heard the door open and shut downstairs. He'd been checking the bruises on his back in the mirror but he didn't want Ryan to see it if he could help it. Josh headed downstairs to find his brother taking a can of coke from the fridge. "Hey runt." Josh greeted.

"Git." Ryan replied automatically before grabbing another can and handing it to Josh. Josh took it without really thinking about it and the motion exposed the skin of his right arm. He hadn't tried to hide it but he'd been planning on explaining it first. Ryan gasped and grabbed his hand. "What happened to you?"

Josh sighed and sat down with a wince that was partly because he had to explain this and half because it pulled at the muscles on his back. "Clark is back." Josh told Ryan.

"Really?" Ryan smiled brightly. "Wait, don't change the subject."

"I'm not." Josh sighed. "Something's happened to him and he doesn't remember anything at the moment. I went around to the Kent Farm to have a look and when I tried to use my healing powers on him he grabbed my arm."

"Clark did that?" Ryan went pale.

"And shoved me into the counter." Josh sighed. "I've got a pretty bad bruise on my back too."

"He wouldn't..." Ryan looked lost.

"He's just not himself, Ryan." Josh put in. "He's just stronger than I expected."

"So you can't heal him?" Ryan asked.

"There's nothing actually wrong with him." Josh explained. "Maybe time will do it but until then I don't know what he's going to act like. Could you..."

"You want me to stay away from him?" Josh frowned.

"I wish you could run over there right now but I don't want him acting strange and hurting you." Josh sighed.

"Alright." Ryan sat down opposite Josh and rested his head on his crossed arms with a miserable sigh. Josh got up and put a hand on the back of his neck comfortingly.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The next few days were probably among the more interesting in Josh's life when it came to surprising events. He'd been walking past Jonathan's room at the Medical Centre when he'd heard a clambering from inside and dashed inside to find Jonathan struggling against all of the wiring and the incubator down his throat. The next morning he'd gotten a phone call from Martha telling him that Clark had regained his memories and not two days later Clark, Ryan and Lois, Chloe's cousin, had discovered that Chloe hadn't been killed in the explosion and that her and her father had been whisked away by Lois' father, a general in the army, and into hiding until the trial.

To celebrate Chloe's return Martha had demanded that Josh bring Ryan over to the Farm for dinner and that was why on the last night before school started again he was walking into the kitchen at the farm. It was the first time he had been over since the encounter with Clark but he'd dropped Ryan off a few times. Ryan hugged Martha as she came into the kitchen from the front room and saw them.

"Hi, Mrs. Kent." Josh greeted with a smile and she hugged him. He tensed with a wince that she noted. "It's nothing, Mrs. Kent." Josh promised not wanting to tell her that her son had gripped his arm and shoved him into a counter so hard that his bruises were still running full bloom.

"Where's Clark?" Ryan asked eagerly.

"Front room with Lois, Jonathan and Chloe." She smiled at Ryan as he ran off to find Clark. Josh chuckled. Martha sighed contently as well.

"What's up, Mrs. Kent?" Josh asked curiously.

"Just thankful that this summer is over." She sighed. "First Chloe's death, you and Ryan's disappearance, Clark's running away and Jonathan's coma."

"I honestly don't know how you coped." Josh told her honestly. "I mean I completely went to pieces when I felt Uncle Kev's pain."

"Nobody blames you for that, Josh." Martha sighed. "Your Uncle gave you a life and protected you. To lose something that was your entire life takes a toll on you."

"Thanks." Josh nodded.

"What's the bandage for?" Martha asked as Josh pulled off his jacket and put it on the hook beside the door. Josh glanced at his method of covering the bruise on his arm.

"Um..." Josh didn't really know what to say. "It's just a bruise."

"Under a bandage?" She asked in surprise. "That's not going to do any good, Josh."

"I know." Josh laughed. "But it's a bad one and I don't want Clark to see it."

"Clark?" She asked. "He's not going to care about a..."

Josh smiled grimly as she realised what he meant and she went pale. "Clark freaked out a little when I tried to heal him the other day. He's got a stronger grip than I thought possible. I just don't want him feeling guilty."

Even as he said it he turned to walk through to the other room and came up short as he realised the door was blocked by Clark who had clearly come to help his mother out. Josh winced at Clark's guilty look. "Clark?" Martha asked.

"Josh. I'm really..." Clark started.

"You don't have to apologise, Clark. I freaked you out obviously." Josh waved off the complaint.

"Is it really bad?" Clark asked still looking rather guilty.

"Nothing that causes more than a little pain. The one on my back's a little more inhibiting but they'll heal in a week or two." Josh shrugged.

"Your back?" Clark winced.

"You shoved me into the counter." Josh bit his lip. "I think you tried to shove me through it. Perhaps I'm lucky you don't have that sort of strength." Josh tried to joke but by the look of horror on Clark's face he didn't find it as amusing. "Look, Clark, it's no big deal. You didn't have your memories and I can't imagine how scary that must have been especially when some guy you don't know starts using freaky powers on your head."

Clark tried to chuckle nervously and Josh grinned at him. "Come on Farm Boy Wonder." Josh spun him around and back into the other room. "Time to have some fun."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A week later**

Josh sat on one of the benches with Ryan at his side. The school day had ended slightly early for the Pep Rally for the start of the football season and since they had nothing better to do Ryan and Josh had come outside to watch the festivities. He was sitting on the bench cross legged with his sketch book open on his lap and his wax pencils nearby. He had the white one held between his lips since it, and the green one he was currently using, were the more common ones. Ryan sat on the bench beside him seemingly paying more attention to the cheerleaders, football jocks and the crowds.

Josh glanced up from the picture he was drawing when Ryan leaned over but apart from the fact he was drawing the cheerleaders it wasn't clear who in particular he was sketching and Ryan knew better than to comment on it. Josh paused briefly as enthusiastic cheering started as people began cheering Lois on as she tried to throw the ball hard enough and accurately enough to send Clark into the swimming pool.

"Dinner says she can't do it." Ryan tempted Josh who glanced at him even as Lois missed the second shot out of three.

Josh studied them for a moment as Lois seemed to talk herself up to the challenge and he smirked. "Deal." Josh spoke around his wax pencil and a second later Lois threw the ball, hitting the target dead centre, and sent Clark down into the swimming pool. He took the pencil out of his mouth before speaking. "You can always trust people like Lois to be predictable."

"What's that mean?" Ryan laughed.

"She doesn't want to let Clark show her up." Josh glanced at Ryan before swapping his pencils to finer ones to put on the details. "Clark keeps putting her out because she thinks he's just a run-of-the-mill farm boy and he keeps proving her wrong."

"You're just saying that because she keeps treating you like a vagrant." Ryan laughed.

"Vagrant?" Josh twitched a smile at Ryan. "Now who's been paying attention in class?"

Ryan was probably right though, Josh did look like a rebel. He was wearing torn black combat trousers with an open red shirt that exposed a tight black t-shirt underneath. With the four metal bands around his right wrist, his red sweatband around his head and his ruffled black hair with their newly applied silver streaks like he'd had when he'd arrived in Smallville, he looked completely out of place in the small town.

Josh and Ryan both looked up as Clark climbed out of the swimming pool and his wet t-shirt and shorts didn't leave much to the imagination about how much work he did on the farm and Ryan laughed at the cat whistles from some of the girls. "Maybe Clark should invest in a few tighter cloths." Josh chuckled and Ryan looked at him in surprise. "What, it's not like he's not hot." Josh outright laughed at Ryan's look of horror.

"Don't say stuff like that, Josh!" Ryan groaned. "I do not want to imagine you having a crush on Clark!"

"No, you'd rather think about your own crush on Lindsey Gaville." Josh smirked as Ryan gaped at him. "I don't need your mind-reading abilities to see you staring at her all the time." Josh laughed before tearing off the page of his sketch book and handing the newly completed wax artistry to his younger brother. It was of the cheerleaders but the only one in proper focus was Lindsey Gaville, dead centre and in incredible detail.

"Wow." Ryan looked between the picture and Lindsey just as the cheerleaders gathered into a group laughing. Just then Lindsey looked up and saw Ryan and Josh watching her but her eyes landed more on Ryan and he ducked his head and when Josh turned to him he was blushing down at his lap. Josh laughed. "Poor Ryan, maybe Bart and I should have a chat with you."

"Don't you dare!" Ryan looked at him in horror with turned into indignation when he saw that Josh was making fun of him. Ryan went to hand the picture back but Josh shook his head and motioned for him to keep it. "Really?" Josh nodded. "But you don't let anyone else have your pictures!" In fact the only picture Josh had ever drawn that he hadn't kept had been the one that now sat in his Uncle's hand in his grave and he'd clung to that for almost nine years before giving it up.

"I think I can make an exception for you, Ry." Josh smiled. Ryan grinned back at him brightly before turning back to the laughing and cheering crowds and Josh followed his gaze to where Lois was laughing at Clark. He spotted Chloe who looked rather a little bit sadder than the situation really required and he frowned. He felt a little sorry for Chloe sometimes. She was a person that had given up on ever having the attention of the person she wanted it the most from. Josh just hoped she got over Clark soon but he knew that it would take time.

"That obvious isn't it." Ryan sighed.

"You haven't been snooping again have you?" Josh asked though he knew Ryan couldn't help it.

"She knows I've picked up on how she feels, she talks to me about it." Ryan shrugged.

"That's sweet of you, Ry." Josh smiled at him.

"It's just she gets hurt every time Clark goes of lovey-dovey for Lana." Ryan sighed. "And right now Lana is off the available list anyway."

"I didn't know that." Josh frowned and looked at his younger brother.

Ryan shrugged. "It's not like they can tell anyone but Lana fell in love with him over the summer."

"Who?" Josh asked. "I haven't seen her spending any more time with anybody at school or at the Talon."

"That's because Coach Teag can't really be seen with her." Ryan said quietly making Josh turn and look at him. "I only haven't mentioned it before because their relationship doesn't have anything to do with school. He just loves her enough to find a job in Smallville to be around her."

"Then why'd she leave Paris to come back if it meant leaving him behind?" Josh asked.

"I'm not sure." Ryan frowned. "It's not like I'm trying to pry, this is all just stuff I pick up randomly. I think something really scared her. A shape or picture or something but I can only hear her thoughts and not see her memories."

"Don't worry about it, Ry." Josh touched him on the shoulder before scooping all of his things into his satchel. "You can listen to people's thoughts but it's their lives they are living." Ryan nodded and stood up and stretched. Josh stood up and turned to Ryan with a smirk. "So, since you're cooking tonight did you want to invite Lindsey?"

Ryan stared at him for a moment before Josh started laughing at Ryan who went bright red and leapt at Josh, tackling him to the ground and trying to wrestle Josh who was laughing too hard to fend him off.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Three days later**

Ryan dropped the mail on the table in front of Josh's breakfast and Josh glanced at the two envelopes. One was a telephone bill but the other had the printed labels that he was used to seeing on anything from Simon. He put the bill aside for later and opened the one from his lawyer and pulled out the hand written note and the clip from a Seattle newspaper. He read the note first but it was short and simple, merely a greeting and telling him that the obituary had caught his eye and that he was sorry.

Josh frowned not knowing who else in the world Simon could think he needed to know had died and turned over the clip to see a column of obituaries with one highlighted for him. Margaret and Robert Allen. Josh winced and dropped the note and the clipping.

"What is it?" Ryan asked in surprised and reached for the clipping. "Allen? Who..." He trailed off as he realised. "Bart?"

"Bart's parents." Josh clarified unnecessarily. "Simon must have checked up on them again and found out. This is dated two months ago."

"Are you going to call Bart?" Ryan asked and Josh sighed and nodded.

"I don't know how he'll react." Josh sighed. "They didn't exactly kick him out after his accident but they didn't treat him like Bart anymore. That really hurt him and part of the reason he acts like he does is because of that rejection. I don't know what he'll do when he finds out he's lost the chance to make up with them."

"I don't think he sees them as family anymore." Ryan frowned. "But it's going to hurt him."

Josh stood up, ignoring the rest of his breakfast now that he didn't feel like eating, and headed for his cell phone. Bart's phone was out of signal which meant he was running so he tried Arthur's only to find out from him that he hadn't met up with Bart since they'd said goodbye to Josh and Ryan at Oliver Queen's house. He tried Bart again and sighed in relief when the phone started ringing and Bart answered.

"What's up?" Bart asked and Josh was partly surprised by Bart's cavalier attitude but then heard somebody ask who it was. An older man by the sounds of the voice. Bart was fencing something again but Josh didn't care what Bart got up to as long as he was happy doing it which part of him knew he wasn't.

"I need to talk to you as soon as possible, Bart." Josh told him. "It's not urgent but it's important."

"I'll be there." Bart told him and hung up. Josh sighed and made his way back into the kitchen and sat down. It was about ten minutes before Bart appeared in the middle of the kitchen.

"Hey love." Bart stood behind Josh and rested his arms around Josh's shoulders.

"Hey love." Josh replied almost automatically.

"What's the matter?" Bart asked obviously hearing the tenseness in Josh's voice.

Josh took his hands with his own. "You know Simon keeps an ear out for things concerning us right?" Bart nodded and Josh let go of one of his hands to pick up the obituary and gave it to Bart to read. Josh didn't let go of Bart's right hand even when Bart stilled rather unnaturally.

Josh stood up when Bart dropped the clipping and turned to hug his boyfriend. "Why do you think I care?" Bart asked. "I don't."

Josh didn't respond and merely rested his head against Bart's and felt Bart relax slightly but he still shook his head. "It doesn't make a difference." Bart told him as he pulled away. "They weren't part of my life anymore."

"But it still hurts to lose them." Josh told him.

"No, it doesn't." Bart argued. "This doesn't change anything."

"You don't have to hide from me, Bart." Josh told him in a whisper.

Bart let go of him. "Who says I'm hiding anything from you? I just don't care. I never needed them!"

Josh just stared at him for a moment and saw the instant that Bart was about to break but was robbed from the chance to help him when the door burst open and Bart was gone. Josh sat down in his chair with a sigh.

"He didn't want to have to rely on you." Ryan told him.

"I know." Josh sighed, not needing powers to read his boyfriend. "He wants to prove he doesn't need anyone but we all need someone."

Ryan just smiled at him and shrugged. "He'll be back." Josh chuckled at Ryan's blasé attitude.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two days later**

Josh walked into the Talon to find it rather busy. It had only been open for a few days ever since Martha Kent had decided to manage it and it hadn't lost any of its appeal in the changeover. As he approached the counter to order a drink so he could wait for Ryan to arrive from his own shopping he heard a very familiar voice. He'd tried to call Bart four times in the last few days and been ignored but he didn't really mind knowing that Bart might need some time. He'd called more for the reminder to his boyfriend than anything else. It was a little bit of a shock to see him standing in the middle of the Talon with Clark and Chloe.

"Chloe, this is my friend Bart." Clark introduced. "He's from..."

"The future." Bart smirked.

"The future?" Chloe scoffed though she was still slightly amused. Josh leaned on the counter behind Bart and Clark spared him a glance.

"Yeah, and I came all the way back here to tell you we're still in love a hundred years from now." Bart tried. Chloe burst out laughing.

"Oh man, that's a bad pick up line." Josh laughed and saw the instant that Bart recognised his amused tone and he spun around.

"Opps." Bart winced. "Sorry."

"For flirting?" Josh laughed before slinging his arm over Bart's shoulder and hugging him with one arm. "You'll never change."

"Josh, you know Bart?" Clark asked in shock.

"I'd say so." Josh grinned. "Though it's a bit of a shock to see him show up with you in tow. You're not exactly much alike."

"We're more alike than you know." Bart sent a smirk at Clark who laughed nervously.

Josh glanced to the right as Ryan appeared through the crowds and his eyes widened as he saw Bart with Josh's arm over his shoulder. "Uh...?" Ryan's eyebrows arched up. "Did I miss something?"

"Hey brat." Bart grinned.

"You know Ryan?" Clark asked in even more shock.

"I've been around a few times." Bart grinned.

"I thought you didn't like Smallville." Clark pointed out.

"I don't." Bart laughed. "But the company's alright." He smirked.

Josh elbowed him less than subtly and Clark frowned. Chloe was distracted for a moment as she moved to order and drink and Josh leaned over to Clark. "Bart was one of the ones I spent that time with after Uncle Kev died." Josh told him. "So what were you doing to run into Bart?" Josh asked him.

"He pushed my dad out of the way of a car." Clark told him before his tone turned sour. "And stole his wallet."

Josh laughed. "Don't take it personally, Clark. It's a habit of his."

"Hey!" Bart moaned.

"We have to be off." Josh declared before turning to Bart. "We need to talk later though." Bart lost any humour in his face and sighed before nodding. "And don't go getting Clark into trouble."

"Too late." Bart grinned. Josh sighed and shook his head before pulling Ryan along with him knowing that Ryan had homework to do. Clark had been getting more and more nervous throughout that conversation and he didn't want to spoil Bart's fun.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

"That dude is cool." Bart announced as he arrived in Josh's bedroom. Josh was sitting on his bed with his sketchbook on his lap and a small lamp lighting him up. He was naked but he didn't try to pull the cover up his chest as Bart shut the door after speed running inside.

"You think Clark is cool?" Josh asked without looking up. "I didn't think you two would really hit it off."

"Well we've got stuff in common." Bart informed him before lying face down on the bed after removing his clothing. Josh glanced up and his eyes couldn't help but follow the line of Bart's body down over his neck, back, arse and legs. Bart grinned at him but didn't try to cover himself up.

"So you saved Jonathan Kent?" Josh asked. "You've done stuff like that before and not followed them home."

"Yeah well, Clark traced the credit card." Bart grumbled.

"And you didn't just run away?" Josh asked sceptically even as he turned the page resolving to come back to that drawing later in favour of sketching Bart lying like he was.

"Well I did but he intrigued me." Bart shrugged.

"Are you hiding something from me?" Josh asked and Bart sighed and nodded. "You want to tell me?"

"It's kinda not my thing to tell." Bart told him.

"Oh, so you found out about whatever Clark's power is?" Josh asked making Bart jump. Josh just continued to draw. "I'm not daft, Bart. I've been here two years now, I know Clark's hiding a secret. I don't know what his secret is but I know he's got abilities. It's the only way to explain the crazy stuff that goes on around him. I just don't care to try to find out. Besides Ryan knows."

"Yeah." Bart sighed. "So you don't need me to tell you?"

Josh laughed and shook his head and Bart made to get up to crawl up to Josh. "Stay there." Josh ordered.

"Why?" Bart asked before blushing deeply. "Are you drawing me?" Josh nodded with a small grin and Bart buried his face for a moment.

"What happened today?" Josh asked.

"I got into a little trouble with a fence." Bart admitted. "And Clark saved me."

"Clark saved you?" Josh asked. "He gets around."

"You have no idea." Bart sighed. "He wanted me to stay around Smallville."

"So do I." Josh shrugged. "But I'm not going to ask you to and I don't want to ask you to."

"What's that mean?" Bart asked.

"If I asked you to stay you might do just that and then I'd feel horrible for keeping you trapped here." Josh sighed.

"If I stayed it would be because I wanted to be with you." Bart told him sternly.

"But you're happy running around." Josh told him. "And I know that whenever you feel lonely you'll find your way into my room. You always have."

Bart nodded. "I'm going to give up stealing things." He announced after a moment's silence and that made Josh look up. "Clark convinced me."

"Clark convinced you?" Josh laughed. "I can imagine that actually."

"How come you never tried to stop me?" Bart asked.

"Because I wasn't worried about you getting hurt and I knew you weren't actually hurting anyone." Josh told him. "And I knew that by stealing things you'd have the money to sleep in beds and not on the street."

Bart sighed and relaxed down onto his arms. "I went to find their graves." Bart said eventually and Josh stopped drawing for a moment to look up at his boyfriend.

"I know you've tried to forget about them but you miss the way they loved you." Josh sighed.

"I didn't miss the love." Bart told him. "I had you for that. I just didn't want to think that they hated me but I couldn't find the courage to go back and find out what they thought of me."

Josh sat in silence as he finished his drawing knowing that Bart didn't need words right now and as soon as he put down the pencil and lifted up the cover Bart slid in beside him and looked over the drawing with a smile. Josh put the book to the side and slid down into the bed and turned off the light. Bart rolled onto his side and put a leg over Josh's waist and they merely held each other. Josh kissed him and relaxed into Bart and merely enjoyed their closeness.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	17. Sorcery

Outsiders

Chapter 17; Sorcery

**Smallville**

Josh sat on the bench that sat on the back porch of the house looking out at nothing in particular yet painting everything. He didn't often paint because it wasn't as private as sketching and drawing but he did still love it and Ryan had commented the day before that the house's walls were rather empty even though there were a few photo frames of Josh, Ryan and Uncle Kev and even a few of Ryan and the Kents in different set ups. So Josh had decided to use the Saturday off from school and the hospital to paint something.

He was sitting cross-legged on the bench with paint all around him and the easel set up in front of him, quite low and flat even if that wasn't the way most people painted. It helped Josh to visualise the painting though since it was a painting of Smallville. He didn't have any aerial photos to back it up and was merely doing it from memory but what he didn't remember properly he filled in. He had a CD player next to him playing music but he turned it down when he heard his Jeep in the driveway but didn't get up to greet Ryan knowing that it would take him a while to get safely clear of all of his paints and brushes and because Ryan had been on a date with Lindsey Gaville. Just a lunch thing because Lana had been showing a film in the Torch that Lindsey had said she liked and Ryan had jumped at the chance. It was their first date but he could hear Ryan talking so assumed he'd brought her back.

The two came through into the kitchen which was just inside the house from where Josh was sitting painting and he could hear Ryan offering her a soda. He thought about slowly leaving but he was intrigued by what would happen. He'd talked to Chloe about Lindsey, out of brotherly overprotection of course, because he'd noticed a few things himself about her after realising Ryan had a thing for her. He hoped that she didn't eventually prove him right.

"So you enjoyed the film right?" Ryan asked after presumably passing her a soda from the fridge.

"It was good." She told him. "I've been wanting to see the old version for ages. Lana's such a cool person. You're friends with her, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Ryan agreed. "She's really good friends with my brother."

"You're adopted brother right?" She questioned. "His father adopted you before he died?"

"His Uncle." Ryan told her and Josh tensed up hearing the tone of his younger brother's voice. Josh wasn't that pleased with her tact and would have bitten her head off if she'd brought up something like that so carelessly in front of him. Then again she was only proving what Chloe had told him already. "And Uncle Kev and Josh both took custody of me. He's a legal adult."

"Oh, so that's why you're still being looked after by him." She said as if she'd just worked it out herself. "It must be strange. I mean he's such a weird person. Such an outcast. You'd think he'd try to fit in a bit."

"Why would he need to?" Ryan's voice was clipped and Josh sighed. Ryan was rather protective of Josh not that he needed to be but he hated the way people sometimes talked about him. Josh just didn't care but Ryan let it affect him at times and clearly didn't like it coming from somebody he had a crush on.

"He's just such a freak..."

"Don't say things like that!" Ryan snapped.

"Ryan... It's not like he's..." She started but Ryan cut her off.

"You think you know anything about us just because you hear a couple of rumours about us?" Ryan accused. "Did you agree to come out with me just to get gossip or something?"

"You're not that unlike your brother you know?" She said smoothly.

"Get out." Ryan growled and he was getting really angry. Josh started extracting himself from his paints and brushes even as he heard angry footsteps going out the front door and when he finally got inside it was to find Ryan standing in the centre of the kitchen staring at the door.

"That was sweet of you to defend my honour, Ry." Josh told him. "I'm glad though, she didn't deserve you."

"That's so cliché, Josh." Ryan sighed and turned around and hugged him. "I can't stand people talking about you like that."

"I know, Ry." Josh sighed. "But you had to know what she was like, you can read her thoughts."

"I know." Ryan sighed. "I just wanted..."

Josh hugged him tighter. "It doesn't matter, Ry. And you're not screwed up."

"What?" Ryan asked in surprise. "How did you...?"

"I don't need mind reading abilities to know what you think of yourself sometimes." Josh laughed. "You're not screwed up. You might be a freak but then again so is Bart and I so you fit right in don't you?" Ryan laughed and buried his head in Josh's shoulder before pulling away. "Martha called while you were out to see if you and I wanted to go for dinner at theirs tonight. You want to brave Clark?"

Ryan snorted in amusement but then nodded. A few days ago, how Josh didn't know, Clark had had his mind swapped with Lionel's in a meeting with him. Josh hadn't seen the Lionel-Clark but Ryan had and it had freaked him out a little especially because in the time together Ryan had mentioned something about reading minds but according to the real Clark, Lionel didn't seem to remember anything from the time they'd swapped places.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A week later**

Josh woke up with a start and looked around the room in a panic for a moment as his nightmare faded from his mind. He steadied his breathing before trying to shake off the sensation across his skin that had awoken him. He didn't know how he knew it but somebody had used magic but the same instinct told him it was magic like his own and not Wizard magic and since he'd never been able to sense the presence of Wizards before it gave credence to his thoughts. He was out of bed in a few seconds even as the last vestiges of watching his Uncle being tortured faded from his mind. It was a fake memory but his nightmares seemed to like playing it for him.

He quickly dressed and made his way across the hall and walked into Ryan's room to find him previously sleeping peacefully except for the fact Josh had just awoken him. "Josh?" Ryan asked sleepily but Josh was checking his room and ignored him before quickly heading out and searching through the house, making sure nothing was out of place and all of the doors and windows hadn't been tampered with. Ryan caught him up in the living room wearing his dressing gown over his boxers and caught his arm in a tight grip. "What's the matter?"

"I was woken up by magic." Josh told him simply.

"And you had a nightmare too." Ryan told him. "I can see it in your eyes."

"That's not related." Josh told him. "There was magic used."

"Maybe you imagined it after your nightmare, which one did you have?" Ryan asked.

Josh knew he was just trying to help so he sighed and turned to him. "The one of _them_ torturing Uncle Kev." Josh told him simply. "But I know how I felt when I woke up. I felt magic in the area."

"Them?" Ryan asked, finally taking Josh at his word.

Josh shook his head. "I don't think it was Wizarding magic. I think it was more like mine."

"Could it have been yours?" Ryan asked logically. "Maybe because of your nightmare."

"My nightmares have never done that before." Josh shook his head. "I have to concentrate to access my magic unless I'm emotional and I've never done it while sleeping, even in a really bad nightmare."

"Right well there's nothing we can do about it now." Ryan told him simply. "So you're going back to sleep."

"Ry..." Josh complained.

"If the house is safe then it can wait until the morning when you're not recovering from a nightmare." Ryan told him sternly before dragging Josh back up the stairs and forcing him back into bed before climbing in next to him knowing that even though Josh didn't come and find him after nightmares, like Ryan did, didn't mean he didn't sleep easier with Ryan or Bart there.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Josh slept rather well after that incident and the next day Ryan went to a friend's house for the day while Josh went to the hospital for work and he arranged to meet Ryan in the Talon to head home again. Josh had been feeling odd all day and there was always a nagging feeling that someone in the town was using sorcery but although he kept an eye out he didn't see anyone he didn't recognise and even though he didn't normally use sorcery on a regular basis he didn't risk using it at all in case they could sense him use it like he could sense them.

A few times he thought he was just being daft for thinking that. Nothing in the book told him about sensing another sorcerer or witch's spells, it was all just based on his feelings and instincts but they'd never led him astray before.

He got himself a coffee before sitting down at a table near to the stairs and almost instantly got out his sketch book and a few different types of pencil to do a sketch. He was jogged from his drawing when somebody walked down the stairs and knowing that only Lana lived up there he looked up and was only half surprised to see Coach Teag, or perhaps he should say Jason Teag walking down them with a small frown on his face. He shouldn't be all that surprised since he knew that Jason and Lana were in a relationship even from the summer since Ryan had taken the information from their minds. According to the rumours Clark had told the school governors about the relationship and Jason had been promptly fired.

"Mr. Ackervey." Jason greeted him as he got to the bottom, turned to look around the room and saw Josh watching him.

"I think we can go with Josh now, since you don't teach at school anymore." Josh told him.

Jason sighed and sat down opposite Josh. Josh smiled but didn't bother to close his sketch pad since it wasn't his private one. He'd only been drawing a picture of random twists and turns anyway, something similar to how he felt about the magic. He was just letting his finger tips control the pencil and it was interesting what Josh could learn about something that way. It was how he'd noticed Martha's pregnancy after all. "I don't recall ever teaching you for that matter, Mr... Josh."

Josh smiled. "I had a serious car accident a year or so ago. It's alright but the Gym teachers decided it would be best for me to stick with the less contact-derived sports. Which is fine for me, I don't much care about football."

"That hurts." Jason chuckled.

"So, what has you concerned?" Josh asked without changing tone.

Jason laughed this time. "Lana's told me about you. Maybe it's closer to say she warned me about you. You have a rather unnerving ability to read people."

Josh nodded. "I watch people and it's surprising what you can see when you look beyond the surface. You and Lana are a good example."

"Don't tell me you knew about that before what happened." Jason groaned.

"Actually I did. But not through anything you two did at school." Josh assured him. "I work at the hospital and I know how to recognise how people react when visiting people that are hurt."

"What do you mean?" Jason asked.

"When Lana was put in the hospital the other week after that thing with Abby Fine." Josh told him. "I know you tried to hide it behind the excuse that the school sent you but I can recognise what you feel for her. I've seen my share of people in the waiting room, Jason."

"So that's how you found out?" Jason asked. Josh just smiled at him, not willing to outright lie if he didn't have to but unwilling to tell him it had been Ryan that had first told him. Josh knew that he would have worked it out anyway after what had happened with Abby Fine. "Clark didn't tell you?"

Josh laughed. "Clark might be a little naive but he'd never endanger your relationship with Lana out of jealousy. I know Lana's been up in arms about it because rumour has it he told the governors about the two of you but if you don't mind me saying I think that's a load of crap."

"How do you know?" Jason asked.

"You don't know Clark the way I do." Josh told him. "He might actually be envious of what you have with Lana but he tried it with her and it didn't work out. He wouldn't spoil Lana's chance to be happy by doing what the rumours say."

"So if it wasn't him, who was it?" Jason asked.

Josh laughed again. "All I can tell you is that it wasn't Ryan or I and I highly doubt it was Clark. I don't know anyone other than the two of you that knew but I do know one other person that has eyes on Lana and would have the pull to kick you out of the school."

"Who?" Jason asked.

"Lex." Josh shrugged. He'd seen the glances that Lex gave her from time to time, on the few occasions he saw Lex in the Talon.

"You think he'd do that?" Jason frowned thoughtfully. "I don't know."

Josh just shrugged again. "So, after avoiding my question so well. What has you so concerned?"

Jason looked taken aback, not because he'd been caught changing the subject, more because he hadn't realised he had. "It's nothing. Lana's just acting a little off is all."

"Lana does that from time to time." Josh assured him. "Whenever she gets some kind of project into her head. Ah there's my little brother. Are you going to Chloe's party later?"

Jason glanced over his shoulder at Ryan who was walking towards them and then back to Josh. "Lana asked me to come." He said in way of saying yes.

"Ryan will be there. Unfortunately something came up at work so I probably won't get there in time." Josh told him just as Jason stood up. He offered his hand just as Ryan arrived at the table and Josh took it and shook it.

"Thanks for the chat." Jason told him.

"Any time." Josh nodded and Jason walked out of the Talon leaving Ryan to sit down.

"He's really worried about something that he and Lana have been doing." Ryan told him instantly and rather matter-of-factly. Josh just shrugged. "I don't have anything more specific though."

"They're old enough to make their own mistakes and fix them." Josh told Ryan. "You however still have trouble I see. You dented the back of the Jeep."

Ryan went white as a sheet. "What!?" Ryan gasped out.

Josh laughed at the frightened shock on Ryan's face and kept laughing as Ryan realised that he had done nothing of the kind. Josh grabbed his stuff as Ryan started huffing and as soon as everything was away Ryan almost tackled him. Josh laughed and tickled his younger adopted brother. "Right." He announced afterwards after they were walking to the car. "I'm afraid it's take-out pizza tonight and then I need to drop you off early at the Kent farm for the party and get to the hospital for eight."

"Why?" Ryan asked though it wasn't that strange for Josh to go in out of his normal hours although Josh tried not to change his shifts last minute in case people started snooping around Josh's custody of Ryan.

"Kevin Riley, an eight year old." Josh explained simply. "He's having a transplant and I promised him I'd be there when he woke up because his grandmother is too old to stay at the hospital late. That or she just doesn't want to."

"That's a bit harsh." Ryan frowned.

"He likes me better anyway." Josh shrugged. "He's got an Aunt in California with a husband and four year old twin sons who are going to take him in since the State thinks his grandmother is too old to care for him with a weak heart."

"Is he going to be alright?" Ryan asked.

"He'll make a full recovery I think. Especially since I plan on giving him a little boost tonight, just heal over the seams so there's never any complications." Josh shrugged.

Ryan put an arm around his waist. "Will you be alright?"

"I doubt I'll even feel it. His heart is a lot smaller than mine is and mine's perfectly strong and it's not like the new one is damaged, just different to his body." Josh assured him. I'll call you as soon as I'm done. If he doesn't wake up until late can you stay at the Kent farm?"

"Shouldn't be a problem." Ryan shrugged. "Even if Mr and Mrs Kent are away."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Smallville Medical Centre**

"You've got a call on your cell from Ryan, Josh." Josh looked up as Michael poked his head into the recovery ward. Josh made a point of leaving his cell phone at the nurses station most times he was visiting people so that the odd text wouldn't interrupt his time with patients and because in some places, like intensive care and recovery you shouldn't risk having phones on you in case of interference with the machines.

"Will you be alright for a while, kid?" Josh asked Kevin who was looking at him tiredly. He'd woken up an hour or so ago and been rather sleepy since but Josh had been sitting with him reading a book to pass the time until he fell asleep again. Chances are by the time Josh got back the boy would be asleep again. Kevin nodded slowly and Josh put a hand gently on his hair and ruffled it slightly before backing away from the bed and into the corridor.

He followed Michael to the nurses station and picked his cell up from the tray where Michael had left it. He checked it was still connected before raising it to his ear. "Ryan, what's up?"

"_Nothing!"_ Ryan sounded cheery. _"It was nothing."_

"What was nothing?" Josh frowned at Michael, this didn't sound like Ryan.

"He sounded really worried before." Michael whispered to him obviously detecting Josh's confusion.

"_I couldn't read Lana, Chloe or Lois' minds but that's alright now."_ Ryan told him happily. _"I'm having a great time now!"_

Josh tensed up. Ryan couldn't read Josh's mind because of his magic, not because of any shields he'd since created in his mind against the Wizards. If Lana, Chloe and Lois had magic somehow that would explain the way Josh had been feeling all day. "Ryan, I want you to go home. Call a cab or something."

"_Why? I'm having a really good time!"_ Ryan complained. _"Don't worry about it! Hey, maybe you should come over here? You need to relax a little bro!"_

"No, Ryan. Go home, now." Josh winced as Ryan told him no and hung up the phone. Josh sighed and turned to Michael. "How worried did he sound?"

"The sort of worried that makes you whisper down a phone in a busy place so nobody else can overhear." Michael told him. "He sounded quite urgent."

Josh bit his lip. "I should..."

"Go!" Michael laughed. "We'll cover for you."

"I'll just go say goodnight to Kevin." Josh told him. He touched Michael on the arm in grateful affection before turning and heading away down the hall.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Kent Farm**

Josh didn't bother with driving there but he dropped his Jeep back at the house before pulling up his magic and teleported himself to the back of the Kent Farm, in a copse of trees he knew was hidden from the windows of the house. He could instantly hear loud music which was definitely not normal at the Kent Farm. He headed around the dark house and towards the barn where all the noise was coming from and walked through the open door and pulled up to a stop. He'd never seen so many half naked people before. Most of the girls in there were wearing little more than bras and panties while the guys were in little more than boxers. Even Ryan was only in his boxers. It had to be a spell and the only three fully dressed people, if you could call the rather provocative 'costumes' full attire, were Lana, Lois and Chloe dancing on the stairs with a couple of guys and Clark.

They didn't notice him but as he looked at them the sense of feeling magic made him sure it was centred on them. The barn just struck him as being filled with the stuff. Josh crossed the barn towards a side door and grabbed Ryan's arm as he went eliciting an angry howl from the boy as he was pulled quickly out of the barn and around the corner into shadows. Ryan struggled but Josh just pulled him into a close embrace even though Ryan tried to kick him and pulled up his magic and took a deep breath to brace himself. "Abige!" He hissed and the two forms burst into green dust and vanished.

They reappeared in the living room of their home and Josh staggered and Ryan's arms were still in the process of pushing him away and he sent Josh tumbling backwards onto the sofa where Josh didn't have the energy needed to sit back up. Energy started coming back to him, faster than it had used to after teleporting himself with either Arthur or Bart for practice back on the little pacific island.

"Josh?" Ryan asked before he gasped and looked around. "What?"

Josh looked at Ryan as his eyes cleared of confusion and he looked down at himself and blushed. "You seem to have got carried away a little at the party. I thought it best you didn't do something you'd regret under a magic spell. Like losing your virginity to one of Chloe's friends."

Ryan blushed a deep red and drew his arms across his chest. Josh chuckled and raised an arm and Ryan unfolded his arms and helped Josh to stand up. "Thanks, Josh." Ryan told him and hugged him. "When I couldn't read Lana, Chloe or Lois' minds when they arrived I realised that somehow they'd become like you so I called but I don't really remember everything clearly after that."

Josh hugged him back. "It must have worn off with proximity."

"Thank god." Ryan laughed. "Hey! Was Clark having a good time?"

"I'll be shocked if even he doesn't get laid at that party." Josh pointed out bluntly making Ryan choke on laughter and slap him on the arm.

"I need clothes." Ryan grunted as he looked down at himself again.

"And maybe a cold shower?" Josh teased again even though his little brother wasn't in any sort of state like that. It was still fun to make him blush beet red and run away to find clothing.

Josh went into the kitchen and made some hot drinks for them and was sipping at his when a more collected Ryan walked in and sat opposite him. "What are you going to do?" Ryan asked him.

"I'm not sure." Josh bit his lip. "I don't know how strong they are or how they got magic. But they've only had it a day, I wouldn't imagine they're that good with it."

"They did manage to turn a surprise party into a..." Ryan swallowed nervously. "Sex rave."

"See, now you can finally tell people you'd had some action." Josh teased.

"When are you going to let me off this one?" Ryan asked.

"Seeing that it wasn't your fault?" Josh asked and Ryan nodded. "Maybe a couple of months. I don't know, I'll have to tell Bart about it and see what he thinks."

"Oh god." Ryan buried his head and Josh laughed.

"I'll go pay Lana, Chloe and Lois a visit after their party has... uh... run its course." Josh told Ryan. "I wouldn't want to spoil Clark's chances to get laid after all." Ryan laughed and shook his head. "And also I want to recover from teleporting you before I do anything."

Ryan nodded. "And me?"

"I want you to stay here and stay the hell away from those three." Josh told him. "I don't know where they learnt the spell they used on the party but it's not going to be in a nice magic book."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Josh left early in the morning, before dawn, on the hunt for Lana, Lois and Chloe and it turned out to be harder than he'd thought. He found the number for Jason Teag's cell phone and tried him, he'd tried the Talon, Chloe's father, and even Lois' father, the General, but had no luck. He was just trying the numbers for the two motels on the edge of the town when he spotted them.

He'd been sitting in his car on the edge of town as it started to get dark rather than driving around aimlessly and was shocked to see them walking across the main street, heading out of town. They were wearing the same clothing as Josh had seen them in the night before but by the stares they were getting they weren't looking too bad even if Josh thought the three looked like sluts in those outfits. He was definitely sure now that it was them using magic but what he didn't know was how they had discovered it or more for that matter why they'd use it so recklessly. He didn't really have anyone else around to help him with this one though. Bart could help but with magic there really wasn't anything he could do but distract them and possibly get hurt and Josh didn't want to cause harm to the man he loved so much.

He followed them out into the farms around Smallville after they got into Chloe's car but they turned off the road and got out not too long afterwards, by a few trees that led through to the Kent farm. He realised why when they turned to face him and waited for him to pull up and step out of his car. A look of irritation spread across Lana's face that made him frown but he kept up his nerve and walked towards them keeping his hands free to the sides in case he had to protect himself.

"Why do you follow us in such a manner?" Lois asked and Josh frowned at the rather proper way of speaking.

"I want to know what's wrong with you." Josh told them stopping about ten feet from them.

Lana straightened her hair uncaringly. "There is nothing wrong with any of us. We are free."

Josh narrowed his eyes. "What did you do to Ryan, Clark and the party yesterday? I saw it and I saw Ryan."

"You wouldn't be able to comprehend it." Lana said offhandedly with a wave of her hand as if brushing the question away.

"Try me." Josh narrowed his eyes again. "I know you've changed. What did you do and how?"

"Getting tired now." Chloe sighed. "Do we not have more important things to do?"

"You are right." Lana said and flipped out her hand. Josh tensed and he only reacted fast enough because he'd half been expecting it. Her hand flash purple and she spoke the words uncaringly. "Incheray!" A blast of magic came at Josh and would have thrown him backwards except Josh raised his own right hand and called up his magic and threw it out purely to nullify her own.

"A sorcerer!" Chloe gasped.

"How did you get magic, Lana?" Josh asked even as he braced ready to defend himself.

Lana laughed nastily and levelled him with a glare. "You pitiful child, this body has no powers. She is merely a vessel. I, Countess Isabelle Margeret Furoe, am the witch and your magicks are a mere nuisance to me."

"You've got control of Lana?" Josh asked with a frown. "How?"

"We have a quest to complete, walk away now and you will not be harmed." Lois told him and raised her hand although she didn't call up her magic. Josh knew he needed to get the upper hand and soon if he wanted to free the three girls from whatever or whoever was possessing them but he was quickly realising that he wasn't facing three new witches but three very old ones, especially with the way they were talking and the slight accents. Old France maybe.

"Terra Eruptio!" Josh called and the ground shook under them before erupting throwing all three backwards. "Fini!"

His magic surrounded them, holding them down to the ground where they'd landed but it didn't last long. "Finite!" Lana shouted and with a flash of magic she was back on her feet and with a flick of her wrist magic welled up and slammed directly into Josh sending him flying backwards and onto the bonnet of his car. She hadn't even used a spell or even called up her magic. It had been instantaneous. He hissed out as his back hit the windshield and he felt cracks spider across it underneath him. Lana spoke another spell and Josh felt his arms and legs being held down. Josh pulled up his magic but instead of casting anything just used it to protect himself as he reached for his other half and began to change. His eyes were the first warning that the three witches got and they tensed up.

"Fini!" Lana almost shouted and Josh felt magic trying to prevent his Leviathan form from coming out. It raged in rebellion and the air shook with the growl of anger coming from Josh. Chloe and Lois stepped back behind Lana in fear. "This is most interesting. Almost too strong for me to restrain. What manner of Soul are you?"

"Let me go and find out." Josh hissed seeing the great waves of storms in his mind's eyes as she continued to restrain him.

"Perhaps this may be useful." Lana said to the others. "Getting answers out of the Kent boy may be easier if we force this boy to fight him first."

"And safer for us." Chloe muttered but then quieted as Lana and Lois both looked at her. "Can we control him?"

"Long enough." Lana said and the three stepped forwards and raised their hands. Josh could do nothing but watch as his world and mind were filled with purple magic and he felt it searing against his own magic.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Josh couldn't stop himself from following Lana, Chloe and Lois into the Kent Farm and up into the barn. Lois and Chloe weren't convinced that Clark was a Sorcerer but Lana, although she didn't say it, obviously felt that Clark had powers. Josh would have been surprised except that his mind was just sitting in the back of his body letting Lana order his body to do anything she wanted. Or at least Isabelle was, whoever that was. Josh did find out that they were after a set of stones and for some reason Isabelle was convinced that Clark knew where one was.

They heard a noise down in the bottom of the barn and the three girls walked towards the banister. "You're early Clark Kent." Isabelle spoke simply. "Were you planning something?"

"What have you done?" Clark's voice met Josh's ears and although he tried he couldn't shout for Clark to run but another part of him realised that Clark sounded more confident than he should.

"Incheray!" Lois snapped and something flew across the lower part of the barn and Josh heard the crash of wood and he worried for Clark.

"So you're more than just fast then?" Isabelle asked. "No matter, we've brought our own small surprise for you."

She turned and Josh felt her magic roil inside him and his own magic roil against it as she ordered him forward silently. "Perhaps the two of you can settle things for us?" Isabelle suggested just as Josh stepped into view.

"Josh?" Clark gasped.

Josh just stared at him emotionlessly, or at least his body did before with another silent order from Isabelle Josh felt his magic surge up without his control and he raised his hand, letting purple tinted green magic spark across the back of his fist. "Abige!" He hissed, his voice unfamiliar and the world blurred to him as one view was replaced by another. He'd moved into the barn's doorway. "Incrinto!" He hissed again and lances of rock shot up from the ground under Clark except that Clark wasn't there anymore.

"Josh! What are you doing!?" Clark gasped out again from behind him and Josh turned.

"He's being our pet." Isabelle cackled and Chloe and Lois joined in as the three walked down the steps and into the barn door looking out at Clark standing in the front yard. "How about you let your other half out, little boy." Isabelle mocked Josh though he didn't have the control to argue with her and he felt his body shifting.

It felt great to slide into his other form because of the strength and power it possessed but there was something wrong with not having control over his body and the Leviathan noticed that change and it writhed it's coils, flattening the ground and the fence on the side of the barn. Clark staggered backwards as in the space of a few seconds Josh had changed into a massive silvery snake. Clearly not something he was expecting. Josh fought Isabelle's control, refusing to be commanded by anything and using the strength of the Leviathan but she held her grip and her next order had him lashing out his tail, flattening Clark and the small shed, sending tools flying across the front yard and sending Clark flying backwards into one of the corn fields.

Josh screamed out in his head picturing the mess of Clark's body after being hit by something so strong and hard as his tail but he couldn't help lowering himself to the ground and slithering across the drive and into the corn stalks, following the strong scent of Clark Kent. He found him just trying to stand up and he had blood dripping down from his mouth and was clutching his side but he was in better shape than he'd imagined. Josh circled him twice, surrounding him in massive coils that began to close in on him.

"Josh! Whatever this is you have to stop it!" Clark yelled. "It's just a spell that's turned you like this."

Josh's head flashed down and his jaws closed within an inch of Clark's head as the human dodged far too fast and Josh pulled back to assess the change in rules. The human shouldn't be able to fight him this well. He flashed forwards again but instead of dodging Clark caught his fangs and held his head in place before letting go with one hand and then before Josh could realise what was about to happen a massive right hook hit the side of his head sending him flying back across the field. Something caught him and Josh writhed to see what it was only to find Clark again. He smashed around with his tail catching Clark in the chest again and sending him flying backwards and he was about to spring when Clark turned to look at him and with a flash of red fire seared across Josh's scales, down the side of his body.

Josh hit the ground and his body rolled around on itself even as he began to feel weak and before he knew it he was falling back into his human body and with a gasp of air he was looking up with normal and pointless human eyes at Clark panting in exhaustion above him.

"Josh?" Clark gasped and fell to his knees, putting hands on Josh's burnt chest.

Josh made to try to speak and was surprised when it worked. Isabelle had realised him. "Clark, what did you do?" He managed out before he collapsed and his world went black.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Smallville medical centre**

Josh woke up and wondered for a moment if there was any set rule to how you woke up in a hospital. Either way he'd never woken up so fast before. His eyes just opened and he was instantly taking in everything in the room. His breathing picked up and it pulled at his chest and he let out a pained groan before he completely took in the people in the room. They were on their feet instantly. Chloe, Lana and Lois which made him tense up slightly and ignore the pain as he reached for the nurse hail button.

"Josh, Josh, Josh!" Chloe calmed him down. "It's us!"

"What?" Josh relaxed slightly though his breathing was still a little faster.

"Maybe this is the sort of thing you plan?" Lois laughed but it didn't have the same harsh tone that it had the last time he'd heard her laugh. "You know, not have him wake up to a room full of only the people that freaked out on him?"

Josh chuckled nervously but his mind connected the fact that their voices were back to normal and most importantly they didn't unnerve him like they had when they'd had magic. "You know, we'd love to know what happened." Lois continued. "Cos you know, we don't remember all that much."

"I'm sorry. I don't really know either." Josh covered knowing that the less they knew the better and he didn't want to make something up in case Clark had already said something. Thinking of Clark distracted him for a moment, what had Clark done? He'd moved so fast he was in front of him one moment and behind him the next, just like Bart could. He'd survived being slammed by Josh in his Leviathan form and he'd burnt through his scales like tissue paper. And God didn't that still hurt. He'd always known that Clark was among the weird and wonderful of Smallville but he'd never had more than hushed whispers between Ryan and the Kents and nervous silences to go on but this explained so much. How Bart could like Clark so quickly and how Clark was always jumping into dangerous situations and why Ryan always kept secrets about him. Was he a meteor freak as Chloe put it or was he changed by accident as Bart was or born like it as Arthur had been?

"Josh?" Lana was talking to him and he focused back on her before pain hit him from his neck and right side, where he'd been burnt. He hissed and twisted his body trying to get the burnt side away from the blanket that was pulled up to his shoulders. "Chloe, could you get a nurse?" Lana asked without looking over her shoulder. "And you should probably find Ryan too."

Chloe nodded and was out of the room along with Lois in seconds. Lana sighed and tried to make Josh a little more comfortable. "So you don't remember anything that happened either?"

Josh shook his head. "I heard about the party getting out of hand so I was trying to find you. I don't remember anything after that."

"Clark thinks that whatever got into us effected you to." Lana shrugged. "Perhaps it's a good thing he was around to save the day."

Josh was interrupted from saying anything when Michael and Doctor Havermire entered the room. "Josh, it's good to see you awake." The Doctor told him. "Miss. Lang, could you give us a few minutes? Tell the Kents and Ryan to please wait outside until we've had a chance to give Josh a check up."

"Good luck." Josh said bluntly before wincing. Lana touched his hand before leaving.

"So, Josh." Havermire smiled. "Mr. Kent and Mr. Teag say they found you lying in one of the Kent Farm's fields. Care to explain how?"

"The last thing I remember is driving to the Kent farm." Josh admitted knowing that his car was on the side of the road outside, or had been at least.

"You don't remember anything else?" He asked. "You do have the signs of a mild concussion and we know that you hit the front of your car which explains the concussion and the damage to your ribs. The jury is still out on your burns though."

"How bad?" Josh asked with a vague gesture at his chest.

"Four badly bruised ribs along you right side, two fractured on your left. You've got a small head trauma but nothing too serious." Havermire explained. "The worst is the burn down your neck and across your right chest and down your right side. It seems to have almost been done by a quick blast from a welding tool or something similar. It's mostly superficial damage and didn't go too deep.

Josh couldn't help but think about what that burning could do if it hit a human being full force. If it could hurt Josh's human form like this through his Leviathan form then he had to be concerned.

"When can I get out of here?" Josh asked his next question and Havermire sighed.

"Not tonight if you want to go home." Havermire told him. "You need to take it easy. However the Kents have agreed to house you for a few days until you come back in to get checked out on Thursday. That'll be the earliest you're allowed to come back to work, understand?"

"Yes Sir!" Josh laughed but then gasped.

"You're on a heavy dose of inter venal painkillers and antibiotics." Havermire told him matter-of-factly. "I'll be giving you a healthy supply but obviously if they're not enough you can come talk to me and I'll find you something stronger. Oh and some of the nurses are starting a pool about how long it will be before you're back in here."

Josh did a double take at that one before forcing a small smile at Michael who laughed at him as Havermire turned to leave. "I'll be back in a short time with your meds and discharge forms. You can go home with the Kents after Mr. Kent's own check up."

At least that explained where Ryan, Clark, Martha and Jonathan were. Havermire left and after kissing him on the forehead and telling him to try to stay safe Michael went after him leaving the door slightly open though Ryan ran in so fast it wouldn't have made any difference. Ryan paused to assess the situation before leaning down and carefully hugging him.

"Hey, you're all grown up." Josh teased. "A year ago you would have jumped right up onto the bed regardless."

"Shut up, Josh." Ryan told him. "How do you feel?"

"Like a truck landed on me?" Josh tried making Ryan open and shut his mouth at the reference to the old accident.

"You git." Ryan huffed and turned to Clark who was smiling in the background. "I don't know why I live with him."

"Because I rescue you from rather provocative parties hosted by Clark?" Josh tried before looking at Martha and gulping. "Sorry, uh, Clark? Did she know about the party?"

"We do now." Martha tried to hide her smile. "We heard how it turned from a nice against the rules party to what it turned into."

"It was quite amusing." Josh told her. "Ryan getting rather friendly with a couple of seniors."

Ryan choked and blushed and moved to Clark's side. Clark defended him. "Be nice, Josh. Ryan's been through a traumatising experience. He's far too young to see such things. And didn't you hear? He got turned down a few times."

Ryan groaned and turned to his last hope. "Mrs. Kent!" He pleaded.

"Alright boys, you've both had your fun at Ryan's expense. What did the doctor say, Josh?"

"I'm a little banged up but he can't tell me why. Apart from my broken windshield, damaged ribs and burns nobody has a clue." Josh shrugged not wanting to bring up what he actually saw while a hostage.

"Lana said you didn't remember anything." Ryan frowned and Josh knew he was the most confused one since he knew that Josh hadn't been possessed because he had magic already but he might be assuming that whatever spell the girls put on him kept him from remembering it.

"He said that as soon as he's back with the meds you can take me home." Josh told Martha. "Are you alright with me being around?"

"Of course. You can have Clark's room for a while." Martha said. "Clark and Ryan spent the morning putting together a couple of spare beds in the barn for them to stay in for a week or so. Until you're ready to go home."

"Thank you." Josh nodded. "Clark, could you give me a hand?"

"I can help." Ryan offered, clearly not wanting to leave Josh again.

"I want you to go get me a coffee." Josh told him bluntly. Clark laughed as Martha grabbed Ryan by the arm and walked out with him. Josh eyed the pile of neat clothes on one of the chairs and Clark locked the door to give him some privacy. Clearly Ryan had gone home to pick up some of Josh's things. He painfully sat up and noted he was wearing a set of his own boxers under the hospital pyjama bottoms which wasn't odd since Michael would have been looking after him.

Clark had to help him mainly with standing up, putting on his t-shirt and pulling up his jeans, which was basically everything but even by the end of it Josh could feel some of his movement coming back. His body was just sore from being injured and then lying in the hospital bed. It did give him a chance to get a good look at his burns though which were under something very similar to cling film and a layer of bandage over the top which Clark complained to Josh about when he pulled it off to have a look. He knew that the bandage would only be there to hide the burns from view. Burns were treated with the clear layer to trap the moisture and to keep them cool and so they could be seen without taking off the wrap like normal bandages were with normal wounds.

Clark was helping him slip on his trainers when Havermire came in with his medication and papers and he signed them just as Ryan returned with a cup of hot coffee, Martha and Jonathan. Josh took a sip of the coffee before letting Clark help him out of the room and to Clark's truck with Ryan while Martha and Jonathan headed for theirs. Clearly Lana, Lois and Chloe had headed home already.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

It was a quiet journey back to the Kent Farm and Josh was left sitting on the sofa with Ryan watching a random television program while Clark went to sort out his room. It was still quite early in the day and since it was a Sunday they could just relax for the rest of the day. He could hear Martha and Jonathan in the kitchen starting on some lunch.

"So what did Clark say happened?" Josh asked Ryan.

"He said you used magic on him." Ryan frowned. "I suppose you got in a fight with Isabella and she beat you. She must have put you under a spell and made you fight Clark."

"What did you tell Clark?" Josh asked curiously.

"Clark thinks she must have brought somebody back to possess you." Ryan frowned.

"That's a lot of assumptions." Josh pointed out. "I'm sorry you had to play cover story on this one, Ry. I know you're sick and tired of keeping my secrets, Bart's secrets not to mention the rest of the world's when you hear them in their minds. Let alone Clark's secrets too."

Ryan's head snapped around to look at him and his eyes narrowed. "What exactly do you remember?"

"Oh, Ry." Josh sighed. "I only told Lana, Chloe and Lois I couldn't remember anything because it was the easiest way to not have to go into my magic and Clark's... well whatever it was that let him throw me around while in Leviathan form. You think that was nice?"

"You...!?" Ryan started loudly before hushing himself. "You remember everything?"

Josh nodded. "You've got some strong determination, kid. Standing between us, keeping my secrets and Clark's at the same time when I can't imagine that was easy for you."

Ryan sagged in his seat. "You saw him?"

"I saw him take some pretty nasty licks with barely a scratch on him, I saw him move like Bart and I'm not stupid enough to not know it was him that did this." Josh said waving a hand at the plastic patch visible rising above the collar of his t-shirt. "My Leviathan side is growling for a rematch."

"He said he'd never felt something hit him so hard." Ryan groaned. "He said you turned into some kind of huge snake."

"I'm guessing you played dumb?" Josh asked and Ryan nodded and the two went quiet as Clark walked past and into the kitchen.

"Are you going to tell him you remember everything?" Ryan asked.

"You think I should?" Josh asked. "I mean he thinks I don't remember anything and you could always promote that so he doesn't worry about me telling people."

"He's not worried about that." Ryan shook his head. "I've talked to him about telling you a few times but Pete knew and look what that Fed did to him to find something out from him. He knows you well enough to know you won't tell anyone but he's scared of you getting hurt. He worries about me enough."

"Hey, it's not like I don't have some tricks myself." Josh laughed but then winced when it hurt. "I'm just not used to putting my Leviathan side up against a bulldozer-slash-tank all rolled up into one man."

Ryan laughed. "You going to then?"

"Tell him?" Josh clarified. "I think I should. If somebody knew about my full secret I'd want to know about it. And I can help him out of trouble if he realises I know."

"And I won't have to keep covering for you both." Ryan laughed.

"Help me up then." Josh told him and Ryan stood and helped him to stand so he didn't have to put weight on his right arm. He rolled his shoulder as he moved before pausing. "Grab my bag would you. I'm going to take something for the pain."

"Is it bad?" Ryan asked.

"Like somebody tried to deep fry my skin." Josh said simply. "If it doesn't scar I'll be amazed."

Ryan winced but ducked down and grabbed his bag and carried it into the other room for Josh. Martha smiled at him as he entered and Jonathan glanced around and Clark trailed off with whatever he'd been saying. Ryan put the bag on the table and moved over to pour Josh a glass of water while Josh painfully manoeuvred himself onto one of the stools by the table and pulled out his bag of medicine. He wasn't due any of the other ones for an hour or two but he really wanted a horse pill so he popped out two of them and put them in his mouth and swallowed before downing the water that Ryan past to him.

"How are you feeling, Josh?" Clark asked and Josh could easily see the guilt there.

"Like something..."

"Don't say it, Josh." Ryan sighed.

"You spoil all my fun, Ry." Josh told him. Ryan just rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I'll be nice." Josh laughed but it pulled at his skin. Clark grimaced and Josh sighed and turned to him. "Stop beating yourself up over it already, Clark, would you?"

"What?" Clark straightened up and both Martha and Jonathan tensed as well, Martha freezing with her knife halfway through an apple she was dicing up for a pudding of some kind.

"Subtle, Josh." Ryan shook his head.

"What do you mean, Josh?" Jonathan asked.

"I kinda know it was Clark that deep fried my skin." Josh shrugged only just remembering to do it with just his left shoulder.

"I..." Clark started.

"It's not like I didn't have it coming, Clark." Josh sighed.

"You remember what happened?" Clark went shockingly white.

"I told Lana, Chloe and Lois that I didn't remember anything because they didn't know anything that had happened and I thought that would be less complicated for everyone." Josh explained.

"So you saw..." Clark started.

"You really aren't the literate kind at times, Clark." Josh chuckled. "I saw you do some rather extraordinary things."

"Maybe you were seeing things." Clark tried. "Lana, Chloe and Lois were doing some really weird stuff."

"Like crushing my ribs and burning my skin?" Josh asked.

"I can explain..." Clark tried before trailing off. "Look it's really complicated." He said eventually glancing at his parents for help who were both watching in actual fear.

"It's kind of offensive to think that Josh would ever tell anyone, Mr. and Mrs. Kent." Ryan spoke up suddenly.

"Ryan, stop reading their thoughts." Josh reprimanded half heartedly. "It's their right as parents."

"I was just saying." Ryan defended himself. "It's not like this is a big deal. It's not like Josh didn't know something was up with you Clark. You're not exactly subtle and Josh isn't exactly unobservant."

"Look, Clark, Mr. Kent, Mrs. Kent." Josh met each of their eyes with his own serious gaze. "I've known about Ryan's abilities from day one and I've never told anyone else about it and he's not the only one I know the truth about in this world but keep secret. After everything you've asked me to do without question you don't trust me to keep this secret after I find out the truth?"

The three just stared at him. Josh sighed and rubbed at his head. "You know I've already broken hospital policy and CDC law when it comes to Clark and I've used my own secret for you on a number of occasions without asking for anything in return. All I'm asking now is for some honesty."

"You know the truth." Clark clearly wasn't happy.

"No, I know you can kick the crap out of me a hundred and one ways." Josh corrected. "How did you get like this? Every meteor freak I've heard of only has one ability and I already know your fast, strong, almost indestructible and can set fire to things. I know you don't have to be effected by meteor rocks to get like that so I just want to know how."

Clark looked at his parents and it was Jonathan that nodded. "I was born this way." Clark said worriedly.

Josh frowned and put his hands on the counter and then bit his lip, working through everything he knew about Clark. He knew he'd been adopted, he now knew he was faster than a bullet, stronger than anything Josh had ever heard of, impervious to a lot of damage and could set things alight with a simple look. But it was the last clue that came to him that told him the most about Clark, actually it was two things but the first was the obvious one to Josh because he'd already been involved with it. His blood work. Something in that was strange enough that even Martha and Jonathan, who had no training in blood, knew they had to destroy all samples of it and were willing to have Josh do it for them regardless of the trouble it could cause. That tied in with Clark's reaction after the summer when Josh had tried to heal him, he'd been crazed about protecting something and had said that his 'kind' wouldn't succeed.

"What are you thinking, Josh?" Clark asked.

"You're not human are you?" Josh asked suddenly looking up at him and watched him flinch in surprise and then worry. "I wouldn't care if you were a purple coloured elephant Clark, so chill already. Am I right?"

Clark nodded. "How did you work that out?"

"A few things." Josh told him honestly. "I've met people with abilities before but whether accidentally, meteor infected or born that way they didn't have the array that I saw you use. Then there's the big clue, whatever is in your blood is enough for Mr. and Mrs. Kent to want me to steal samples of it back from the hospital and destroy the records of it. Clearly there's something out of the normal with it. Then there's the fact you were adopted just after the meteor shower which gives humans strange abilities and a few weeks ago when you nearly put me through the counter here when you witnessed me trying to heal you when you'd lost your memory. You told me that my 'kind' wouldn't succeed. There was something more there but out of respect for you I let it slide."

Clark blinked at him and turned to look at his parents who nodded. Clark turned back to look at him. "My planet was destroyed and my biological parents sent me to safety on a ship that crashed here during the meteor shower. Mom and Dad found me and adopted me. Ever since then I started getting my abilities."

"So, an alien huh?" Josh clarified. Clark nodded and Josh turned to Ryan. "How the hell do you find them, Ry?"

Ryan choked. "That wasn't my fault! Mrs. Kent hit me with her car!"

"Ryan!" Martha gasped.

"Opps." Ryan half sounded sorry and half just amused. Josh smiled at them as Ryan successfully broke the tension.

"So, Clark, are you actually invulnerable?"

"Normally." Clark grumbled. "Somehow that magic that Lana, Lois, Chloe and you were using can hurt me."

"Hmm..." Josh bit his lip. "I can't give you any clues there. Clearly that's why you got hurt when my tail flattened you."

"Perhaps it's time we find out what happened to you? How did Lana, Chloe and Lois do that to you?" Jonathan spoke up.

"Do what?" Josh asked with a frown.

"They're talking about turning you into a sorcerer." Ryan pointed out.

"Oh!" Josh made a rather sheepish look and raised his hand. Green flickered up his skin as he slowly drew up the magic and it flowed across the back of his hand. "Leviate." Josh said calmly and the knife, food, chopping board and glasses on the counter rose up even as Martha, Jonathan and Clark staggered away from the table with a cry from Martha. Josh lowered the items back onto the table and pushed his magic back. "They didn't give me magic."

"You're like them?" Clark asked shocked.

"Alien or Sorcerer?" Josh asked. "Which is honestly more shocking?"

Ryan snorted in amusement and Clark turned to him. "You knew?"

"Of course I knew. I live with him don't I?" Ryan pointed out. "And you can't blame me for keeping it a secret. Do you know how hard it is to have a Sorcerer for a brother and an alien for a best friend and not be able to tell them about the other."

"Oh, Ryan." Martha smiled. "We're sorry."

Ryan just shrugged and Josh took back over the conversation. "Anyway, when I heard about the party and saw it for myself I recognised it for what it was and went after Lana, Chloe and Lois thinking that they'd found some sorcery book or something. I didn't know they'd been possessed by evil witches from however long ago."

"The seventeenth century." Clark told him. "They were burned at the stake."

"Well anyway, they weren't really in my league and took control of my body. I could scream and shout however much I wanted but I couldn't make even a single sound to warn you." Josh explained. "I have an ability that they don't though. My body is blended with another animal, like a shapeshifter I suppose."

"The snake?" Clark asked.

"Leviathan technically." Josh told him. "I tried to use it against them but Isabelle held it back until she set it on you. Sorry about that by the way. I tried to stop it."

"This is a little out there." Jonathan pointed out.

"More so than your adopted son being from another planet?" Josh asked bluntly. "Trust me, magic is out there."

"And it can hurt me." Clark mused looking down at the table.

"Maybe it's a good thing I didn't pretend not to remember then." Josh pointed out. "I can help you if it comes to it and now that you know about me and I know about you we can help each other out a bit and poor Ryan doesn't have to play dumb in the middle more than he already is."

"Hey!" Ryan protested. Josh sent him a smirk.

"So, Josh. What is this all about?" Jonathan asked as Martha tentatively reached out for her knife to continue making lunch. "We all know you're keeping secrets, perhaps now is a good time to tell us about them. We know you're in trouble, that people are out for you, people willing to kill to get to you. Maybe Clark can help?"

"Maybe." Josh frowned.

"Just because magic can hurt him isn't a reason not to tell them the truth." Ryan pointed out.

"You know?" Clark asked Ryan carefully.

"Since I first healed him." Josh told him. "My magic protects me from his mind reading ability."

"We had wondered if Ryan could read your mind but he never seemed willing to tell us before you told us about your healing ability." Jonathan told him.

"When I healed him though something happened. My shields came down and Ryan saw my memories, not just read the thoughts but witnessed the memories." Josh sighed sadly. "It took him time to actually sort through them but a lot of them aren't pleasant. He learned the truth about my life from that and I've filled in any details since then."

"So what happened?" Clark asked.

Josh hummed to himself as he stared at the table before looking up again. "Okay so there's magic right?" Clark, Jonathan and Martha nodded. "But there are two types in use. Sorcery like what Isabelle used and what I use. That type is extremely rare, until Isabelle I didn't know of anyone else with it and if you use the other type you can't use Sorcery anymore. The other type is Wizardry and it's common, there are millions of people in Europe that use it, not so much over here, just ones that come over to escape the wars in Europe."

"Wars?" Clark asked. "What wars?"

"Wizarding civil wars." Josh sighed. "The most recent ones were during the Second World War, one between 1974 and 1981 called the Death War and the current one that started in 1994 called the Second Death War. Anyway the point is those Wizards use focuses to cast magic but it's not so powerful as my own sorcery and even though my parents were Wizards I became a Sorcerer. I think my father's family were Sorcerers but because they were raised with focuses they lost the ability to use Sorcery."

"What happened?" Clark asked.

"There was a Wizard who called himself Voldemort. He tried to murder me but his spell backfired but in the attack he killed my parents." Josh explained sadly. "It killed him and that was what ended the Death War. I was put under the care of my mother's sister but her husband... well..." Josh waved randomly at his neck and touched the band at his forehead. "That scar is because he tried to burn off a scar I got when Voldemort cursed me. Anyway, Uncle Kevin saved me when my uncle tried to slit my throat."

Clark flinched and his hand nearly knocked a glass flying. Clearly his parents hadn't told him. "Oh god! Back when you first came here. I..."

"Acted strangely and said that my parents tried to get rid of me by doing that." Josh nodded. "Now you know why I reacted like I did to you after that. Maybe now we won't have misunderstandings like that?"

"We'll try." Clark nodded.

"After Uncle Kev was pardoned for kidnapping and we ran to the US we had to keep moving because it wasn't long before the Wizards found out that I'd been kidnapped and they wanted me back under their thumb. Uncle Kev's sister was a Witch that used a focus so Kev knew all about that world. We've been running ever since."

"And the people that killed your Uncle?" Jonathan asked.

"A Wizard hitman." Josh nodded. "He used a spell that killed Uncle Kev instantly. There wouldn't have been any pain. Then he tried to lure me back by kidnapping Ryan and torturing him."

"But you ran him off?" Clark pressed. "With your magic?"

"With my magic, yes." Josh nodded but turned to look out of the window.

"What is it, honey?" Martha asked him seeing his nervousness.

"I didn't run him off." Josh whispered. "I lost control. He was torturing Ryan and Ryan was just screaming and I couldn't stop myself." He swallowed and knew his eyes were wet. He wasn't ashamed of killing the hitman but he still didn't feel right about it. He should have just run him off.

"All I saw was a massive burst of green light." Ryan spoke up quietly to pull attention away from Josh. "And then there was nothing left of the Wizard. Josh killed him."

Josh flinched and silence reigned over the room for a few long moments before Jonathan sighed and moved around the counter and put his hand on Josh's left shoulder. "People like us don't want such things to happen that way, Josh. But sometimes they just do and you can't blame yourself in hindsight. It wasn't revenge for your Uncle's death like it might seem, it was righteous anger at a man torturing a fifteen year old boy, somebody you love. If I shot somebody attacking Martha I can't be held responsible for their death and if I can I'd know I did it for a good reason."

Josh smiled up at the man. "So are these guys still after you and why? Just for your powers?" Clark asked.

"So they can have a weapon." Ryan hissed out.

"Ryan..." Josh sighed. "They'll continue hunting me until I agree or they can force me to fight for them against Voldemort. At the moment a friend of mine is helping us 'run' across the country, basically we sold our house here and left a trail to San Francisco and by the end of the month we'll sell that house and buy another one and so on. My friend then bought the house in Smallville that we're in at the moment and Ryan and I are just staying there."

"Wait, you said Voldemort." Clark frowned. "Didn't you say he died in 1981?"

"I don't know how." Josh sighed. "All Uncle Kev and I could find out was that he was resurrected in 1994 and has been at war with the other Wizards since. We only knew that because we saw a couple of his Wizards while we were staying in Washington."

"Are they bad?" Martha asked.

"The Death Eaters, Voldemort's guys, have a sport they like to play called Muggle Hunting. That's what they call normal humans. They cast a spell on the father that takes over his body and mind and then make him... well it's not pleasant but ends up with the murders of all of his family and the blood on his hands. Sometimes they'll kill him too, other times they'll leave him lying at the scene, too crazy to be able to tell anyone anything."

Martha looked physically ill. "Well if these guys come back you let us know, Josh." Jonathan said. "Now you know that Clark can protect you..."

"It's not me I'd like him to protect." Josh said simply. "But at least now I know that somebody can protect Ryan."

"Even without being what I am, I'd protect him." Clark nodded.

"I'm not a little kid you know." Ryan huffed but the amusement on his face was clear. "You just wait."

Josh laughed and then winced in pain as it pulled at his ribs and skin. "You know my Leviathan wants out to get a rematch." Josh told Clark seriously.

"Aren't Leviathan's a myth?" Martha asked.

"Just the same as Phoenixes, Fairies and a dozen other things you thought were myths but are real." Josh told her. "The time I spent away last year was spent in the Pacific with a couple of friends."

"Bart." Clark stated more than asked. "That's why you know him."

"I was wondering why you and he hit it off." Josh stated in way of confirming Clark's thoughts. "You're not really normal for his scene."

"You mean stealing everything in sight?" Ryan added with a grin.

"He must love you." Josh grinned at Clark. "Somebody that can run with him."

"To Miami..." Jonathan raised an eyebrow and Clark looked sheepish.

"How about LA?" Josh asked Clark. "I can get there in a couple of seconds, what about you?"

"Clark, don't you even think about it!" Martha gasped. "Lunch will be ready soon!"

Josh burst out laughing at the family scene and even though it hurt he couldn't stop. When he looked up Ryan was smiling at him in pure relief and he offered him an understanding smile. He straightened up as soon as he could and turned back to Clark. "So what is this Isabella after that she came after you?"

Clark glanced at his parents again and got nods from them. "My father hid three stones on Earth for me centuries ago." Clark told him. "Supposedly she's on a quest for them because of the knowledge they hold. I have one hidden away safely, that's what she was after."

"Roger." Josh nodded. "Powerful item not for bad people." He grinned. "As soon as I'm healed them we're going to have a play. If that bitc....sorry Mr. and Mrs. Kent... sorceress comes back you need to know what magic can do and we can find out what effects you."

Clark blinked but then a big smile spread across his face and Josh knew why because he felt it too. They were both in the same boat, trying to use their abilities to protect the people they loved but having to do it for the most part alone. Now they finally had other people that could take some of the weight off of their shoulders.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	18. Infection

Outsiders

Chapter 18; Infection

**A week later**

"Josh, you shouldn't be doing that!" Martha complained when she walked into the kitchen to see Josh searching through her cupboards and making a small pile of food on her counter. It was the middle of the afternoon and Jonathan, Clark and Ryan were out in the outbuildings fixing up a couple of the stables. Josh had been freeloading for a week now especially since he'd been signed off of school and even though he'd used the time to look over his accounts and talk to Simon and Oliver about a few financial things he was bored out of his mind.

"Mrs. Kent. I'm perfectly capable of cooking food." Josh complained when she tried to take a small bag of potatoes from him. "I'm about to go insane!"

"At least let me help." She demanded and Josh rolled his eyes before caving in. "How are you feeling today anyway?"

"About the same as yesterday." He shrugged and winced as it pulled at the skin on his right side. "I'm still doped up though."

"Ryan says your burns are healing over nicely." She nodded.

"Ryan's spying for you?" Josh gasped in mock horror. "How did I never guess?"

She laughed. Ryan was the only one that Josh was letting help him in the mornings and if Ryan, Clark, Jonathan and Martha had their way he'd be tucked up in bed twenty-four hours a day. "Clark's happy to go with you to the hospital tomorrow for your check-up and then back to your house to settle you and Ryan back in."

"Ryan's going to struggle coming back home I think." Josh smiled out of the window just as Ryan scampered out of the stable door followed by Clark who hoisted him up and over his shoulder. Ryan's cries and laughter reached them even here. "He's just so alive here."

"He does love it here." Martha nodded before they settled down into silence for a while as they sorted out all the ingredients. Josh hadn't told her what he planned to make but she could tell what he wanted her to do. Eventually she caved and said what she wanted to say. "He still thinks of your house as home though. He does love it here and he enjoys his time here but he still prefers you and your company."

"You think so?" Josh asked.

"I know originally he chose to stay here, Josh." She nodded. "But this summer he chose to go with you rather than stay with us. If the choice comes up again we know he'll go with you. He's even told Clark that."

"Is Clark okay with that?" Josh asked, looking at her so she couldn't cover up the truth.

"He'll miss him." She nodded. "We all will. We'll miss you too. But now that you know Clark's secret he can visit you."

"And now that I know his secret I'm more likely to stand my ground here." Josh admitted making her stare at him in shock. "I don't like the idea of Clark being put out for my sake but I can take them on now. My only concern is Ryan's safety if something happens. Clark might not be able to defend himself against too many of them, the same as I can't, but he can get Ryan out of danger."

"And that's what's most important to you." She nodded.

"That said if I think I'm in danger I will leave." He pointed out. "I don't want Ryan to go through my death." He sighed, put down the knife he was using and leaned on the counter top, gently rolling his shoulder to sooth the cramping muscles. "At least I know that if that happens he'll be safe and looked after."

"We'll do everything we can." Martha agreed. "You know that."

"Ryan's my beneficiary." Josh turned to Martha. "With you as his advisor."

"Advisor?" She frowned.

"I know you have a law degree." He flashed her a smile. "You don't have to worry though, Simon would handle everything and contact the right people for me and they'd probably be here with Ryan in an instant if anything happened to me but there's a lot I'd rather Ryan not have to deal with."

"By a lot you mean your finances?" She asked.

Josh nodded. "Most of it is self running and Simon has a friend that looks after the holdings and that's slowly being moved over to a friend of mine that runs his own company." Josh explained as he got back to cooking. "But Ryan would take control of it all and he won't understand it all. I'm hoping you'll help him."

"Of course." She nodded. "But what exactly are we talking about?"

"I told you once that the cost of stabling and feeding Kite barely dented the interest on my account?" He asked to see if she remembered and she nodded. "Well it barely dents my access fund that Uncle Kevin and I set up for when we move around. When Uncle Kevin kidnapped me he managed to transfer all of my funds into accounts and secure the holdings. Most of the money is sitting in interest accounts, some in investments here and there that we set up along the way. Some in shares in companies here and there. Not to mention a couple of companies that belonged to my parents that more or less run themselves but would become Ryan's should something happen to me."

"What's the liquid value?" She asked with wide eyes.

Josh scratched the side of his head. "I don't really keep track of it. Around six hundred million US or so I think." She stared at him and then moved to the sink and downed several glasses of water before turning back to look at him. "Ryan knows I have a lot of money but it's never really come up exactly how much. I think he's taken rough figures out of Simon's head a few times."

"So you want me to help Ryan with all of that?" She asked.

"You've already been listed as beneficiaries under the position of carers for Ryan. You, Jonathan and Clark. I'm not going to tell you what you get because you'll tell Jonathan and he'll argue with me." Josh laughed nervously. "I just want you to around to help Ryan out. Not to mention his own accounts."

"Ryan has accounts?" She asked.

"Uh... yeah." Josh bit his lip. "He knows that I set one up for him when I took Summerholt to court."

"You took them to court?" She asked.

"Tried to really." Josh shrugged his left shoulder so it didn't hurt. "Simon expected them to settle out of court but that just meant that Ryan didn't have to show up to testify and the FBI is still investigating them anyway so it didn't really matter that they didn't get publically tried."

"How much?" She asked.

"Ryan doesn't know. I just told him it's decent enough." Josh flashed her an amused look which made her sigh. "They settled for eight million in the end. They probably could have got away with less if it wasn't Simon against them."

"Eight million?" She gasped.

"They tried to kill a human being, Mrs. Kent." Josh pointed out. "We had evidence that they purposely progressed the stage of a brain tumour in order to advance their experiments."

"So Ryan doesn't know he has eight million?" She asked.

"No. It's in a high interest account and he can't get to it until he's twenty-one." Josh told her. "But if something happens to me it'll merge with the other accounts but he'll still have to rely on his current accounts. Even I can't access most of my accounts until I'm twenty-one."

"Josh..." She sighed. "You said his current accounts? As in he has another account and as in plural."

"Oh right, sorry." Josh laughed nervously. "He has one that was set up with part of his monthly allowance from my accounts to ensure his living expenses. That's only a few thousand dollars a month but he can access that at the moment. If he knew about it I suppose. He's not really one to care about that. I pay for everything really."

"And the others?" She asked.

"Just one more account." Josh sighed and looked down. "His inheritance from Uncle Kev." She bit her lip and waited him out. "Uncle Kev's finances were split three ways. Twenty percent went to a friend. I think you know him, Bart Allen?"

"Your Uncle knew Bart?" Martha gasped.

"He's been my best friend for four years." He nodded. "He used to stay with us a lot. He doesn't really have much use for money and refuses to use Uncle Kev's money so he signed the account to my joint control so I look after it with the rest. Ryan and I both got half of the remaining eighty percent. I wanted to just put my forty percent with Ryan's but..."

"I understand. It's what your Uncle left to you." She nodded.

"I don't imagine I'll ever use it for myself but Kite and his upkeep comes from my inheritance from Uncle Kev." Josh smiled slightly. "I think Uncle Kev...."

"Yes, Josh." Martha put a hand on his uninjured side. "I think your Uncle would have loved that."

"The interest on that account covers the cost so that's what I meant when I said it." Josh told him.

"How much is under Ryan's name?" She asked.

"About five hundred thousand or so." Josh told her. "He can access it if he wants to. And after I tell him about it."

She watched Josh for a moment. "You haven't told him?"

"I don't know if he'd take it well." He sighed. "And it's not like he needs the money. I'll always have his back for that and I've got more than I could ever spend. Hell, with almost eight-point-seven million Ryan's never going to be able to spend it all."

Martha smiled at him. "You're a good kid, Josh."

"Thanks." Josh smiled back. "So you see now why I'd want you to be his advisor?"

"I'm beginning to see." She nodded. "I'll do what I can to keep him afloat _if_ anything happens to you."

"Thank you." Josh smiled. "Then again I'm not planning to go anywhere anytime soon."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

"Mr. Cross." Josh sighed. "You hardly have to be here. Especially thinking you have to cook."

"I don't mind, Josh." Charlie Cross smiled at him. "Jordan's upstairs with Ryan."

Josh chuckled and sat down at the kitchen table and accepted the can of coke from the man. Clark and Ryan had gone with him to the hospital that morning for his cling film like bandages to be removed and replaced with a large absorbent pad and about a mile of bandages and Ryan had been shown by Michael, in great detail, exactly how to reapply it all every day. Clark had then driven them back in Josh's Jeep and helped them settle back in and even taken Ryan to get some food. Josh had chosen then to get some quiet time and taken a nap on the sofa in the living room while watching TV and had woken up to find Charlie putting food away in the kitchen with the intent to cook.

"Did you run into Ryan in town then?" Josh asked.

"Him and Clark Kent doing food shopping." Charlie looked at Josh. "Are you mad?"

Josh laughed and then winced and made to hop off of his chair. His side was hurting and he wanted painkillers but Charlie was already doing it for him and he soon found a horse pill and a glass of water sitting in front of him. He shook his head in amusement at the man's foresight and swallowed the pill and downed the water. "Thanks."

"It's okay." Charlie smiled at him and touched Josh on the top of his head gently. "Jordan and I saw Clark and Ryan arguing over the meats so gave them a helping hand. When Ryan told us you were back home and exactly what your injuries were Jordan wanted to come see you."

"I haven't seen much of him lately." Josh nodded in agreement to Charlie's unspoken point. "I know him and Ryan have gotten really close."

"Jordan still adores you." Charlie smiled. "He's always telling me what you get up to at school. You were the highlight of his life since you and he met and he accidentally touched you. To find somebody he could touch really made him happy. When you left for Smallville he was crushed."

"That's why we told you why we had to leave." Josh sighed.

"And why I chose this place to move to." Charlie nodded. "Jordan wanted to see where it was you'd gone. He admitted something to me too recently. He's spent a long time hiding it but I think Ryan knows."

"What?" Josh asked.

"I saw Uncle Kev's death." Jordan spoke in a whisper from behind them and Josh twisted around before hissing in pain making Jordan slam backwards into the door frame in surprise. Josh straightened himself up and shut his eyes to try to concentrate on something other than the pain in his body but then really registered Jordan's words.

"You saw...?" Josh swallowed.

"Josh, you know Jordan could never change anything that he saw." Charlie tried, clearly seeing something in Josh's face. "And Jordan really needs you right now."

"What?" Josh frowned seeing pain in Charlie's eyes. Josh stood up and turned to Jordan and saw him shrink away. "Jordan, don't you dare even think I'm going to hurt you." Josh snapped. "Get over here!"

Jordan moved towards him slowly and Josh pulled him into a hug. "Josh?" Jordan asked shakily.

"I'm not going to blame you for what happened to Uncle Kev." Josh told him looking at Ryan standing in the doorway with a sad look on his face. "You knew?" He mouthed and Ryan nodded slowly before mouthing back an apology. "When?" Josh asked.

"Just before you left. I was helping your Uncle pack your stuff into the car and I dropped a box and we both caught it." Jordan was crying. "I saw it all and he knew it what I'd seen. He asked me whether he'd died to protect you and I said he had. I heard him say it in the vision. That's he'd gladly die because you'd run and be safe from them. He didn't want to know when or how. Just that he'd died to protect you."

"We didn't think you'd really need to know." Charlie sighed. "But recently Jordan's been..."

"Been what?" Josh asked as he pulled away from Jordan and looked into his eyes, seeing something that hadn't seen since he'd first come to Smallville. "Oh god, Jordan..." Josh hugged him again and brought his right hand up to touch the back of Jordan's neck knowing now that Jordan was once more starved of human contact.

"He touched Ryan a while back and got a flash but not anything but the sense of nausea but then he touched a girl at school and saw her die of old age." Charlie sighed.

"Oh, Jordan. I'm so sorry. I hoped it wasn't going to come back but I always knew it was a possibility." Josh apologised.

"You knew it might come back?" Jordan asked with tears in his eyes when Josh pulled back to look at him.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I didn't want you to worry about it. I couldn't have stopped it and I wanted you to enjoy yourself and if it didn't come back I didn't want you to waste away being worried." Josh told him and touched him on the cheek before leaning forwards and kissing the sixteen year old on the forehead. "You were born like this but it took time to get to the point where it was strong enough to give you visions. Even though it got set back it's part of who you are. A really shitty part but it's part of you just like my healing ability."

"But it's useless!" Jordan gasped.

"No it's not!" Josh told him sharply. "You gave my Uncle the knowledge that even though he was going to die he'd do it protecting me! My Uncle sacrificed everything for me and to know that he wasn't going to die in vain probably gave him strength. The only time Uncle Kev ever risked taking in anyone else was when Ryan showed up and maybe the reason he did was because he knew he didn't have all that long left. He knew I'd need somebody once he was gone."

"You gave him that, Jordan." Ryan told him gently and very carefully hugged Jordan once Josh let him go. Being careful not to touch his skin.

"Can I stay here tonight?" Jordan asked. "It's just..."

"He's getting nightmares again." Charlie sighed.

"Of course. Whenever he needs." Josh declared. "I'll give you both a key so if you need to come you can just let yourselves in."

"Thank you, Josh." Charlie told him and Josh saw the well hidden pain in his eyes. To know that your son would never be free of something like this was heartbreaking for him.

"Are you going to keep him in school?" Josh asked.

"We don't know yet." Charlie shook his head. "He's been going so far and he's managed to avoid people for the main part but he's had a few episodes."

"I'm still hopeful, Jordan." Josh told him. "You're visions always got stronger with age so maybe once you get stronger you'll be able to turn them on and off."

"I've already told him he could practice on me." Ryan pointed out.

"But I don't want to know that!" Jordan told him. "It's bad enough with Dad."

Josh pulled Jordan into him again changing the topic away from Ryan knowing that if Ryan decided to do it then Jordan would have lock himself away from the other boy. "You know that I'll heal your Dad when it starts. We were always planning on coming to you when that happened."

"Huh?" Ryan asked in confusion looking at Charlie like he was about to grow a second head.

"I die in a bedroom somewhere with life monitors and cancer when I'm sixty or so." Charlie told Ryan with a careful look at his son who'd started shaking. "It was pretty specific."

"I can cure cancer, Jordan." Josh reminded him. "As long as I catch it early enough."

"But what if you don't?" Jordan asked.

"Charlie?" Josh reached out a hand and Charlie smiled and took it in his own. White light bled between their palms and Josh concentrated for a moment. "Not a thing." He told Jordan calmly and felt the boy relax against his chest. "If it makes you feel better I'll check every month and pick it up before it even effects him."

"But what if..." Jordan started.

"Enough, Jordan." Josh interrupted him. "You've always got me, okay? Bart might get a bit annoyed when he has to start sharing me but you'll always have me to come to, okay?"

Jordan laughed a little at the mention of Bart but calmed himself down and soon Ryan was pulling him away to play with his PS2 in the living room. Josh sat at the counter and put his face into his crossed arms and finally let himself cry for Jordan. Charlie sat beside him and ran his hand up and down Josh's back. "I know, Josh." Charlie sighed. "But thank you for what you said. You've gotten better at calming him down."

"Ryan has pretty bad nightmares still." Josh told him as he looked up and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Ryan won't give up on him either. He knows what it's like to have an ability he doesn't want."

Charlie didn't say anything and really there wasn't much more that could be said.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two weeks later**

"I'm doing much better, Mr. Kent." Josh told him with a smile as he stepped back at let the man pull down his shirt. Josh glanced behind him, relieved when the movement didn't pain him. He could see Clark and Ryan playing some one-on-one by the basketball hoop although it looked more like Clark was trying to play seriously and Ryan was just randomly tackling the older boy. "There's only the odd itchiness now and it wakes me up if I roll onto it when I'm asleep. It's a little susceptible to the cold but it's still healing. The doctors don't think they'll be much scarring. Possibly just a little on my shoulder because it's the only part of my skin that actually tore."

"Clark will be glad to hear it." Jonathan nodded. "And what about my heart?"

Josh bit his lip and sat himself at the table. "What have the doctors told you?"

"That at this rate of degeneration I'm likely to have another heart attack. Sooner rather than later." Jonathan sighed and went about making himself some tea.

"Well the triple bypass you had will buy you a little time but what the doctors haven't picked up is that the tissues in your heart are beginning to stress themselves." Josh hung his head for a moment. "Originally it was your arteries that were weakening and collapsing which stalls blood to the heart tissues. That's what your heart attack was." Jonathan nodded. He'd been told all of this when it had happened. "Under normal circumstances the body can only heal a portion of the cells that are damaged in such a heart attack which makes the next one more dangerous and more likely."

"That's what they warned me about." Jonathan nodded.

"Except it doesn't apply to you." Josh pointed out and Jonathan frowned. "Because I healed the damage to the cells so you heart was just as healthy as it was before the heart attack. Just as healthy as it always was. It was the arteries that were the problem."

"Right." Jonathan nodded. "So the chances weren't effected and the next one shouldn't be any more dangerous than the first."

"Until now." Josh sighed and rubbed at his nose. "The tissues of your heart are begin to fail."

"What?" Jonathan gasped.

"It's not as bad now as what I healed before but there's no reason why the tissue has failed. It's just stressing itself and failing. Right now it's barely anything." Josh assured him. "You're not in any real danger from it beyond the fact it will compound the problem if your arteries fail again."

"Can't you heal it?" Jonathan asked.

Josh shook his head. "I have no idea what's making it happen. There's no reason for it just like there's no reason for your arteries to be weakening. Luckily the bypass is still holding strong but they can't do anything surgically about the heart tissues and I can't heal them."

"So eventually what?" Jonathan pressed.

"To be perfectly blunt, Mr. Kent." Josh sighed and looked up at him with tears in his eyes. "This is going to keep happening until the healthy parts of your heart can no longer sustain your body and make up for the failed parts. You'll have a heart attack and nobody will be able to make the muscle restart." Josh felt a tear escape and wiped it away. "Sorry."

"It's alright, Josh." Jonathan sighed. "I know this can't be easy for you and I'm grateful..."

"Easy for me!?" Josh gasped. "I'm not..."

"Going to have a heart attack?" Jonathan sighed. Josh nodded. "I've had a good life, Josh. I've made sacrifices for my family and if this is the cost then so be it. I'm not going to regret my decisions. I have Martha, Clark and even Ryan. I couldn't be happier and if this is the price I have to eventually pay then that's what I'll pay."

"Ryan's going to take that straight out of your head as soon as he comes in here." Josh wiped at his eyes again and stood up.

"How long do you think I've got left?" Jonathan asked.

"I..." Josh swallowed and forced himself to be professional. "At this rate of deterioration I'd say a couple of years. But if you have a major heart attack there's a chance that would be it."

"Maybe you should take Ryan home now before he takes this from me?" Jonathan suggested. "I need to think about it and talk to Martha and I don't want him hearing my thoughts right now."

Josh nodded and stood up. "I hate to be the one to ask but have you sorted out everything for..." He bit his lip.

"Martha and I both have standing wills." Jonathan nodded. "I'll talk to Martha and I'm sure we'll look them over again."

"Mr. Kent..." Josh paused at the door and turned to look at the rather pale man. "I know you hate the idea of charity and everything but I just want you to know that when it happens you don't need to worry about Mrs. Kent and Clark. I know money isn't everything but I will make sure they have enough when they need it. So that they can do what they enjoy."

"From anyone else I'd be angry, Josh." Jonathan actually smiled at him. "But I know where your heart is and I'll know you'll look after them if you can. Thank you, son."

Josh smiled and moved around the counter and rather surprisingly hugged the man gently. "Clark's really lucky to have you, Mr. Kent." Josh smiled and slipped out of the door before Jonathan could mention his rather out of character show of affection towards someone other than Ryan. Josh headed for his car and checked his face quickly in the window to make sure it wasn't too obvious that he'd nearly been crying and then waved and called Ryan over.

"Come on, Ryan!" Josh called. "We have a coffee date and then _you_ have school work due soon."

"I do not!" Ryan tried.

"Ryan!" Josh called him sternly. "I know perfectly well you missed last week's science homework and got extra this week that you haven't done so get your little butt over here and into the car before I come over there and drag you by the ear."

Clark keeled over laughing as Ryan mock whined and scuffed his feet across the driveway towards Josh. "Don't you dare laugh, Farm Boy!" Josh called. "I know you haven't done you worksheet for Monday either!"

"What worksheet?" Clark called back.

"The one in the kitchen that you forgot about." Josh laughed as Clark's eyes widened before he waved at Josh in thanks. Clark could finish it easily enough but Josh wanted to point it out. Ryan hopped into the car and Josh slipped in and started the engine.

"I only haven't done it because I need your help." Ryan told him quietly. "I was going to ask you earlier but I forgot before we left."

"Yes, there's something about the words 'Do you want to go see Clark?' that makes you all giddy and makes you forget which shoe to put on which foot." Josh laughed and pulled out onto the road. "We'll stop off at the Talon on the way back since it's still early and I'll give you a hand this afternoon. Jordan and his dad are stay for dinner so we won't be long."

"Jordan's staying over?" Ryan asked with a frown.

"I got a text earlier from Mr. Cross. Jordan's curled up in your room sleeping. He had a bad brush with the postman this morning." Josh nibbled his lips with a sigh. "Ryan, whatever you're planning to do just be careful. Jordan's a tough kid but he's not unbreakable."

"If he could practice on me..." Ryan tried for the hundredth time. "And if he'd stop avoiding me all the time."

"Because he thinks you're going to attack him and force him to see you die." Josh almost snapped but reached over and grabbed Ryan's hand to show he hadn't meant to raise his voice. "Jordan is safe with me so we got close but he never let himself get close to anyone else before because he was always worried about touching them and seeing them die and not being able to take it. He befriended you because he thought he was safe and because, well, you're you. You're easy to like. He just doesn't want to touch you and see you die in some horrendous way that'll tear out his heart."

"I just want to help him." Ryan slumped glumly.

"I know, Ry." Josh sighed. "Just don't force him into it."

"And I don't want to lose my friend, either." Ryan sighed. "And he's avoiding me."

"He's in your room, not mine." Josh pointed out and Ryan straightened up and grinned. "See? There is hope."

Ryan beamed at him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Half an hour later**

Josh was enjoying the chance to just sit down and relax in the Talon with Ryan and Martha, who was technically working, when Ryan tensed up and his head jerked around to look around for someone. "Who, Ryan?" Josh asked.

"Jason Teag I think." Ryan frowned before he flinched. "He's really panicking. I can barely keep up with his thoughts. It's like..."

"Like what?" Martha asked as Josh looked around trying to spot him.

"Like a nightmare." Ryan frowned before wincing violent. "A bad one, Lana just stabbed him with scissors. In his thoughts."

Martha jerked back in surprise just as Josh found Jason up on the balcony that led to the apartment he shared with Lana. Josh frowned and pointed him out to Ryan and Martha. Jason was struggling but he wasn't with anyone and seemed to almost be having a fight with himself before suddenly he fell back over the railing and straight down through a table and onto the floor with a massive crash. Somebody screamed and Josh scrambled across the room, shoved someone out of the way and skidded to his knees next to Jason.

"Jason!" Lana cried from the top of the balcony.

"Ryan, my kit from the car!" Josh shouted. "Ambulance, Mrs. Kent!" Josh ordered. "The rest of you get out of the way and shut up!"

Enough people in the crowd knew Josh from his volunteering at the hospital so kept well clear except for Lana who skidded down on Jason's other sides and grabbed his face between her hands. "Lana, don't move him!" Josh snapped at her and she fell backwards but Josh ignored her as he moved his hands around and down Jason's body. He was clearly unconscious and didn't respond to any of Josh's attempts to stimulate him yet he was twitching and moaning like he was merely asleep. His body was clammy and his expression flinched on occasion.

Josh grabbed his wrist and clamped his fingers down to monitor his heart rate. He was definitely in a nightmare of some kind and his heart was pounding like he was being physically attacked. "Lana, has he ever said anything to you about any conditions?" Josh asked her and she just stared at him. "Lana, now!" He snapped and that was enough to bring her out of her shock.

"No." She shook his head. "Nothing."

"No childhood fits?" She shook her head. "Have you ever had trouble waking him from sleep or has he ever had nightmares you couldn't wake him from?"

"No. I've never seen him have a nightmare before!" Lana told him just as Ryan appeared with his large kit. Josh bit his lip. His limited qualifications let him do quite a lot at a scene like this but he had to bear in mind the consequences of his actions. He could legally give a drug that he had been trained to use without bearing the consequences if they reacted badly to the drug through something he didn't know about but if he gave him something then the hospital might be restricted from doing anything.

"Heart monitor, Ryan." Josh ordered. Ryan handed it to him a few seconds later and Josh opened up Jason's shirt and attached the small diodes over his heart. The machine beeped in a rapid way but Josh silenced it and just watched the display as it read of his heart rate. Josh's only other option was to give him a sedative but he wasn't qualified to carry or administer anything that powerful and if he gave him something now then it limited what the hospital could give him later. Jason wasn't in any immediate danger and the hospital could find out more.

Ryan groaned and looked at Josh with pale features but Martha interrupted them. "The Ambulance should be here soon, Josh, Lana."

"Thanks, Mrs. Kent." Josh nodded before looking at Ryan. Lana would panic and all number of things if Jason took a wrong turn. She was good in a situation when she was at risk but if something happened to someone she cared about she was likely to go into a fit. "Ryan, I'll go in the ambulance so we don't waste time. You drive Lana there."

"Ok." Ryan nodded and moved next to Lana. "Lana? Let's get you some water."

"I'm not leaving him." Lana complained.

"He's not in any immediate danger, Lana." Josh caught her eyes. "I'll watch him and I'll go in the ambulance with him. Just stay with Ryan and I'll come find you in the hospital as soon as we can tell you something. If you come in the ambulance then I'll have to tell them everything I've done before they can move him and then have to look after you once you're there. If you let Ryan drive then you can follow right behind the ambulance and only be a few seconds later." Josh's calm manner clearly broke through and she let Ryan lead her into the back room to calm herself and get some cold water to settle her down.

Josh reached out to Martha and when she came closer he stole the tea towel hanging off of her apron. He smiled at her and settled down more comfortably to wipe some of the sweat from his face as he watched the heart rate monitor. It was about the same as it had been before but Josh was expecting a blood test to show massive amounts of adrenaline in his system. He cleared the remains of the table away from him and a lad from the crowd helped him moved him very carefully off of the table top so that they could get him onto a stretcher easier.

"Josh!" Kyle called as he and his partner, Max, broke through the crowd with a lightweight stretcher and their kits.

"Nineteen year old male." Josh paused and looked up. "Fell three metres from the balcony onto the table. Impacted on his back. Seemed to be sleep walking just before and still seems to be in a nightmare. Not responding to verbal or pain stimulates but he's muttering to himself on occasion like a nightmare. No damage that I can see from secondary inspection but his heart rate is so high he's having a panic attack."

"You given him anything?" Kyle asked.

"Nothing yet." Josh shook his head. "I didn't want to shoot him up with the sedatives I have when the hospital has better stuff."

Kyle nodded to show he understood why. "You riding with?" Max asked as the three of them began getting Jason onto the stretcher.

"Yeah, his girlfriend and my brother will follow in my car." Josh turned to Martha. "Tell Ryan we're going."

Martha nodded as they clipped Jason to the stretcher and between the three of them lifted him up and moved out to the road and into the back of the ambulance. Josh saw Ryan escorting Lana out of the Talon and towards his car as Max got into the driver's seat. "You know if he has any history of fits?" Kyle asked though he looked dubious.

"I asked Lana and she said nothing that she knew of." Josh sighed. "Could be some sort of hallucinogen I suppose."

"Bad reaction maybe." Kyle frowned even as he ran his own checks over Jason, lifting his eyelids to look for the normal reaction to drugs and the like but only found Jason's eyes flashing back and forward. "That's REM sleep." Kyle frowned. "Like he's drugged so high on sedatives he won't wake up from a nightmare."

"Except his heart rate is a mile a minute." Josh added. "That's another reason I didn't want to give him a sedative. If he's on some kind of drug that can sedate him so much yet let his heart run so fast giving him another sedative might shut him down completely."

"Right you are." Kyle nodded. "This is just weird. Stupid town."

Josh snorted, unable to stop himself. If anyone in this town could attest to the weird stuff that happened it was the six paramedics that ran out of the medical centre.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**An hour later**

Josh walked towards Jason's room to pick up Ryan who had dutifully stayed with Lana. Josh had a shift in the morning and he'd just called his own home to find that Charlie was waiting there with Jordan who was currently asleep in Ryan's bed after what he'd seen. When he got to the room it was to find Clark and Chloe there as well.

"So, the word is out then?" Josh asked Clark, Chloe and Ryan.

"He has a bacterial infection of some kind?" Clark asked him.

"Well..." Josh glanced in at Lana. "Yes and no."

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked.

"This is purely personal, Chloe." Josh warned and Chloe nodded sharply. She knew what Josh would do to her if she got him in trouble. "Jason is showing all of the signs of vainly fighting off a bacterial infection, like the stomach bug, but his body shows no actual evidence of it. There's nothing in his blood or the rest of him to show bacterial growth."

"What are they going to do?" Chloe asked.

"There's really nothing at all they can do." Josh sighed. "There's four more people in here with exactly the same symptoms although they're all at different stages and seem to progress at different speeds." Josh rubbed at his head. "The problem is the other four weren't anywhere near each other before this all happened. There's no common tie between them, let alone Jason."

"Lana said he's having some kind of panic attack and his heart rate is elevated." Clark frowned. "Can they just give him something to calm him down?"

"They're giving each of them a drug which limits the link between brain and heart in the hopes that the panic they feel doesn't increase the heart rate so dramatically but by necessity it's a weak drug and to be honest it won't do much." Josh informed them. "Not to mention it can be dangerous. Sedating them is the obvious choice but this infection is keeping them in a state of sleep so they can't risk sedating them further or they might tip over the edge and giving them stimulants to wake up will increase their heart rates."

"So they're stuck either way?" Ryan asked.

"Right." Josh nodded. "Unless they find out the cause they don't even know where to start looking for a solution and they've been talking to every hospital they can to find out if anyone has ever witnessed the same sort of symptoms and they're coming up with nothing."

"Could it be some kind of virus?" Chloe asked.

"Unlikely." Josh shook his head. "Basic biology. Viruses can't live for long without a human host and these five weren't anywhere near each other in the last few days. It's obviously not being ruled out but their blood tests came back negative for foreign amino acids that the system can't recognise."

"What now then?" Clark asked.

"We wait and see what happens unfortunately." Josh shrugged. "Either they'll find a solution or one of them will cave and have a heart attack." Josh pulled Ryan into his side. "In the meantime I have guests."

"Guests?" Clark asked and Ryan worried his lips.

"It's no one." Ryan spoke up. "Just an old friend of Josh's."

"Sure." Josh agreed. "I'll give you a call, Clark, if I hear anything tomorrow but with Jason's age and health he shouldn't go downhill for a while yet."

Ryan hugged Clark goodbye before letting Josh steer him outside towards the car. "No one?" Josh asked him once they were on the road.

"Clark was the one that intervened when Jordan lost his visions." Ryan told him. "He kept preventing the deaths that Jordan saw and when Jordan touches him he just sees nothing."

"Nothing?" Josh frowned. "So he's immune?"

"No." Ryan shook his head. "He sees _nothing_. Just endless white space."

"Like Clark's never going to die?" Josh's eyes raised up. "That's just weird. Maybe it means that Clark's death is out of Jordan's ability to see but might be one day."

"Or because Clark can prevent them anything Jordan sees automatically changes?" Ryan suggested. "Either way I wanted to talk to Jordan before we tell Clark. Jordan knows he has powers but not everything."

"And if Clark can prevent what he sees from happening then maybe Jordan will want to tell him some of them?" Josh frowned. "I wonder if we're supposed to mess with stuff like that?"

"You did." Ryan pointed out. "You saved me when the tumour should have killed me. The future doesn't have to be fixed."

"We'll talk to Jordan and find out what he thinks." Josh agreed. "But it's not Clark and Jordan's responsibility to save every person Jordan touches and he can't just go around touching everyone to find someone to help. He'll only witness deaths years in the future that he couldn't possibly keep track of and then blame himself for missing the one person he passes who then steps in front of a car."

Ryan frowned but that was definitely a good point.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That night**

Josh stood in the door to Ryan's room and looked at the two sleeping in the room. Ryan had given up the bed for cushions on the floor in favour of staying in the room rather than using Josh's bed and Jordan was curled up in his bed. Josh had just seen Charlie to the spare bedroom for the night and had just wanted to check on the two before sleeping himself. It wasn't like Ryan minded sharing his bed with Jordan and Jordan had stayed there when he wasn't getting visions but if they touched during the night Jordan's perhaps normal dream would because a vision of Ryan's death that would possibly end up with him screaming.

He knew Jordan and he had found himself in the last few weeks feeling pretty stupid. He'd seen Jordan around school and when he came around to play with Ryan but never noticed that he'd gone back to wearing long sleeved t-shirts that minimised the chances of brushing against other people. Granted it was coming up to winter now and it was starting to get chilly but Josh should have noticed Jordan's regression.

The latest vision was of his postman, looking like he did now, stepping in front of a bus in Metropolis and getting, to put it bluntly, splattered. Unfortunately there really wasn't anything Jordan could do about it. He'd started crying in front of the postman and ranting about him staying away from buses which had had the man tugging Jordan, by the hand no less, back into his house to Charlie. The man had clearly thought Jordan was mental and only helped Jordan's panic get worse by forcing him to see the man die over and over in his head while being tugged along behind him. But with no time scale to work to they couldn't exactly help him baring tailing him for the foreseeable future.

Jordan, Charlie, Ryan and Josh knew it and they hated it.

Chloe was a different matter though and Josh had just gotten off the phone with Clark about it. They'd taken a spin around Jason and Lana's flat looking for clues and found out that Jason had been at the Luthorcorp factory that morning and had gone looking for clues. Whereby Chloe had been found running down one of the corridors screaming until Clark had found her and taken her to the hospital.

Josh knew this was going to get bad and had called the hospital asking if they wanted him in to help with damage control but Doctor Yeager, their specialist in these matters, had realised that this was only going to get worse so had told him to get a decent night's sleep and head in the next day. Josh didn't plan on telling Ryan about Chloe until the morning or the poor boy wouldn't get any sleep.

Josh slipped back to his own bedroom and called Bart briefly to tell him that under no circumstances was he to risk coming there on the spur of the moment and told him everything that was happening and Bart, reluctant, agreed to stay put but told him he'd be in Metropolis and only a few seconds away if he was needed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Charlie was always an early riser and as Josh finished in the shower he could smell breakfast cooking downstairs. It wasn't a school day and Ryan had probably planned to sleep in but with that smell he knew that Ryan would come back to the real world sometime in the near future. Josh returned to his room and changed into his Vans, black jeans and long sleeves t-shirt to wear under his scrubs top when he got to work and then checked on Jordan in his own bed before heading down.

"Good morning, Mr. Cross." Josh smiled.

"When are you going to start calling me Charlie again, Josh?" Charlie asked him in amusement.

"Sorry, habit of moving to a new town." Josh shrugged before eyeing the standard every-four-hour painkiller he was supposed to take for his healing burns. He popped it into his mouth and swallowed a glass of orange juice to wash it down before pre-empting Charlie's questions. "I'm not feeling that much pain but if it's going to be a long day today I'd rather take it anyway. A week and it should be fully healed. And yes, Jordan found his way to me last night."

"Nightmare?" Charlie asked.

"I don't think so." Josh shook his head. "Just woke up I think and decided to find me so he could sleep again. Barely woke me up and didn't say anything, just used my good side as a pillow."

"I think he'll do that just to feel somebody else's heat." Charlie nodded. "Just like he used to with you."

"I don't mind." Josh shrugged. "It's a small price to pay for giving him a little comfort."

"When do you have to be going?" Charlie asked.

"I doubt I'll still be here when the two brats wake up." Josh shook his head. "It's going to get busy at the hospital today."

"You think it's going to get worse?" Charlie frowned.

"When I talked to Doctor Yeager last night he'd decided that it must be something in the air causing it. He can't link the people together any other way. There were twenty-two in the hospital last night so I don't imagine there's not less than thirty or forty there right now." Josh sighed.

"In the air?" Charlie asked. "So we're all probably infected?"

"As horrible as it sounds." Josh nodded. "Doctor Yeager is guessing that it'll just show up at different times. Perhaps a small group got away without being infected but it's going to get bad real quick. Some people might fight it off themselves. We just don't know."

"What do we do?" Charlie asked.

"Stay here today, it's nearer to the hospital than your house and it's out of the way and quiet. If this is going to start killing people I don't want..." Josh winced and looked up when a floorboard creaked in his room. Jordan was up. Charlie nodded to show he knew Josh meant Jordan's visions. "This seems to hit with no warning, people just fall straight into it so stick together. If something happens then call an ambulance and then call me."

"Can you heal it?" He asked.

"I haven't looked but I can heal infections though it normally knocks me out and it'll give me a nightmare from hell when I do it I imagine since that's the symptom." Josh shook his head. "I'll do it if I have to but I'll only be able to do it once."

"If you go into the hospital are you just going to catch it?" Charlie asked.

"Doctor Yeager says they're not contagious and not one of the hospital staff have caught it while at work." Josh reassured him. "Just stay here."

"Alright, Josh." Charlie nodded just as he placed food in front of him and Jordan walked into the room wearing Josh's dressing gown making Josh chuckle at him with a small smile to show he didn't mind.

"Ryan's in the shower. I didn't want to get changed before having one." Jordan explained before sitting in the chair next to Josh and leaning ever so slightly towards him. Josh recognised the motion instantly and drew him into his side and Jordan moaned sleepily and sagged against him. Josh was interrupted when his phone buzzed to life and started ringing.

Josh answered it and put it next to his ear without checking who it was. "Josh here."

"Hey, Josh. It's Simon." Simon sounded far too awake. "I saw what's happening in Smallville, are you at the hospital?"

"Not yet. I'll be heading out in a few minutes." Josh told him before biting off a mouthful of sausage. "What's up?" He spoke around his food.

"You're not going to like this, Josh." Simon sighed. "Lionel Luthor's sentence was overturned in the Appellate Court yesterday. He's a free man."

"What!?" Josh gasped and lurched to his feet sending Jordan away from him. "How is that sane!?"

"There are about a hundred lawyers asking the same question." Simon told him and Josh took a quick turn around the table.

"How can they do that, Simon?" Josh gasped. "He was convicted of murder!"

"Powerful people." Simon sighed.

"What about the people that testified against him?" Josh asked. "Ryan, me, Clark, Chloe?"

Charlie crossed the room and settled his hands on Josh's shaking shoulders and Josh took deep breaths. "How does that work, Simon? How does Lionel suddenly get off the hook for the murder of his own parents?"

Charlie frowned just as Ryan walked into the room. "I can't work it out and the Court isn't saying. Only that sufficient evidence has been brought forward to overturn the conviction."

"They had his own confession on Chloe's tape, Simon!" Josh gasped out and Ryan turned to look at him.

"There's nothing we can do about it. They've overturned the appeal, he's been exonerated for the murders." Simon explained.

"What about the orders? Are they still in effect?" Josh asked.

"They still stand and I'm having them reissued for the reasons of your safety. Lionel Luthor and anyone working for him won't be permitted to knowingly enter any building you are inside and must leave immediately if he finds himself in that situation. Other than that he's not permitted within five hundred metres of your house, school or work place." Simon explained. "When you get to work make sure they list you as an employee. They shouldn't have a problem with that."

"Thank you, Simon."

"I think you should let that Sullivan girl know and Clark." Simon pointed out.

"Chloe's one of the infected." Josh sighed. "But I'll tell Clark right now."

"I'll call you if I hear anything." Simon told him. "Look after yourself, Josh."

"You too, Simon." Josh hung up and slumped into his seat. Ryan touched his back and Josh turned to look at him. "A court of appeal overturned Lionel Luthor's conviction. He's a free man."

Ryan flinched but then just hugged Josh. "They just scrounged up new evidence all of a sudden and released him." Josh explained before glancing at his watch. "I'm going to be late to work and I need to call Clark on the way to warn him. Stay inside with Charlie, guys."

"Why?" Ryan asked. "Is he out already?"

"He means the infection." Charlie explained. "I'll watch over them. They've got homework to do anyway."

"Oh come on!" Ryan complained.

"Just watch yourselves." Josh warned and hugged Ryan and Jordan quickly before doing the same to a waiting Charlie. He grabbed his bag and was out of the door a minute later and called the Kent Farm as he started his Jeep. "Hey, Mr. Kent." Josh greeted as soon as Jonathan answered. "Is Clark and Mrs. Kent there?"

"We're just eating breakfast." Jonathan announced.

"Good morning, Josh." Martha greeted showing he'd been put on speaker.

"Just a quick one, guys." Josh spoke up as he put himself on hands free so he could drive safely. "I'm just heading into work but Simon just called and you're not going to like this. The Appellate Court miraculously found brand new evidence of such astounding quality that they've ignored all the evidence that Clark and Chloe gave and have overturned Lionel Luthor's conviction. He's free and exonerated."

"What!?" Clark gasped. "How?"

"Exactly how I just said it." Josh sighed. "Simon is already sorting out all the legal demands but I'd suggest that you give him a ring. He won't mind setting up a restraining order to protect you all and although I know that's not really going to help it might not be a bad idea. Clark was a major witnessed against him."

"Will Chloe be safe?" Clark asked.

"I'll explain it to the hospital and see if I can't get security to watch her room just in case but I imagine the hospital is pretty overwhelmed right now or it's about to get there." Josh sighed. "Ryan's at home with Jordan and Mr. Cross. If you have a moment, Clark, could you pop over and see him. If he wants to go out with you that's fine. Honestly I think everyone infected with this already is but we'll see."

"Ok, Josh. Thanks for the warning." Jonathan told him.

"Take care of yourselves." Josh told them and got a similar response before he hung up.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two hours later**

Josh had been set to hang around the entrance hall to keep an eye on everyone coming in. Most of the nurses and doctors were busy dealing with the infection that had now effected more than sixty people within Smallville and two people in Metropolis that had been visiting the town the day before. Josh was talking to people that came into the hospital, helping relatives remain calm and also getting people's attention that were there for other reasons. Contacting the right doctors for the different problems so that they could come see the person and then get back to the problem as fast as possible.

He was being run ragged but he didn't mind. He'd touched a few people that were infected and could now touch anyone and with the briefest of flashes of his healing power determine if they were infected. Doctor Yeager, who had spent the entire night with the infected wasn't showing the least sign of the infection yet two family members had shown the infection but none of the symptoms yet fallen into their nightmares only fifteen minutes after Josh had suggested they be kept under a close eye.

Ryan had called to say he was going to go with Clark to try to help and wasn't sure what he thought about that but with his proof that people that were infected weren't contagious he figured that Ryan was safer with Clark and his powers than anywhere else. He did have Jordan and Charlie texting him every fifteen minutes as some kind of watch system though. He'd call Clark to get over there in an instant if they missed one of their deadlines.

Josh glanced at Michael who was working with them in the entrance when his phone rang and he noticed that it was Ryan. He stepped out of the crowd. "Ryan? You alright?"

"Lana collapsed. We're on our way there in Clark's truck." Ryan told him.

"Pull up behind my car. The public car park is packed." Josh ordered. "What's her condition?"

"She just started screaming hysterically and then went limp. Her heart rate is up and she's screaming mentally about her parents." Ryan choked.

"Just get here, Ryan." Josh ordered and hung up the phone after Ryan did.

"Josh?" Michael appeared at his shoulder.

"Clark and Ryan are bringing Lana Lang in." Josh told him. "She collapsed with them."

"Bed over there, Josh." Michael pointed to one of the gurneys waiting in the corridors. They'd run out of rooms a long time ago.

It was merely four minutes later when Ryan ran into the entrance hall followed by Clark who was carrying a twitching Lana. "Bed there, Clark!" Josh shouted over the crowd.

Clark set her down and they wheeled her into one of the corridors away from the crowd as Michael began checking her over. "Same symptoms, Josh."

"Can you do anything?" Clark asked desperately.

"Nothing." Josh said bluntly before snapping out a hand to grip Ryan's arm. There was a flicker of light under his palm and Ryan gasped but then Josh nodded and turned to Clark only to see him go limp with a panicked look on his face. He only just managed to catch his head before he hit it on the ground. "Help me!" Josh yelled to Michael who spun and helped lift Clark up onto another of the corridor beds.

"Clark!" Ryan grabbed Clark's hands. "No..."

Michael jerked his head even as two nurses and Doctor Yeager ran up to them and started checking Lana and Clark over. "Get him away, Josh."

Josh nodded and grabbed Ryan firmly and tugged him into the nurses' station out of view and hugged him. Ryan crumbled into him. "You'll be fine, Ryan." Josh whispered. "I can tell whether someone is infected before they collapsed. You are clear as are most of the staff."

"You can't do anything?" Ryan asked.

"I could possibly cure one person, Ryan." Josh sighed. "Which one of the sixty odd people in here do I save? Clark, Lana, Chloe?"

"We can't just do nothing!" Ryan gasped and clung to him. Josh soothed him as he gently rocked the boy back and forwards. The problem was that Josh had been wondering all morning whether he should be trying to save a person. He couldn't do much good just saving one person now but if he retained his strength maybe he could make the difference later. Doctor Yeager or one of the other doctors trying to work out a cure perhaps. What if one of them fell ill. Saving them would mean more to the rest of Smallville than saving Lana or Chloe.

Then again he couldn't see Ryan suffer if Clark died and Clark was special for a reason. If anyone could find a way to cure these people it was him. He called Charlie in the end and had him and Jordan come to the hospital and ten minutes later gave Ryan over to them to take home and also checked them both and pronounced them both safe from the infection and told them to just stay at home. Jordan didn't even risk getting out of the car with so many people around the hospital and Josh couldn't blame him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A little later**

Josh tapped his fingers against the edge of Clark's bed where the young man was twitching in his own nightmare assessing whether to help. He could feel Clark's panicked heart beat but he knew that Clark's heart wasn't just going to give out like the others. He was safe for a long while yet but Clark was the most useful person to have up and about in Smallville right now and according to Ryan he'd been on the trail of finding out what this was all about.

Josh was just about to put his hand on Clark's stomach when he gasped and shot up into a sitting position. Josh automatically steadied him and Clark rounded on him with scared eyes. "Clark?"

"Did you...?" Clark gasped.

"I was about to but no." Josh frowned. "You came out of it yourself."

"I can't stay here. I need to check on my parents." Clark gasped.

"Go!" Josh nodded. "You can't stay here in any rate or they'll want to test your blood. I'll say you vanished."

Clark slipped off of the bed. "Where's Ryan?"

"Home. I scanned him. He's safe." Josh reassured him. "Just go."

Clark nodded and vanished from sight. Josh blinked but then turned to check on Lana. He'd barely gotten back to the entrance hall when his phone rang and he answered. "Clark?" Josh asked having seen the ID.

"My parents..." Clark gasped. "They were on the kitchen floor."

"I'm sorry, Clark."

"The ambulance is on the way." Clark told him.

"I'll keep an eye on them, Clark." Josh promised.

"My dad..." Clark started but Josh cut him off.

"I know, Clark. I'll watch him." Josh reassured him.

"I've got an idea where I might find an antidote." Clark told him.

"Good, but you'd better hurry." Josh told him and then the signal died. Josh sighed and hung up knowing that Clark had gone to super speed. Josh turned to the nurses desk and paged Jonathan's doctor to contact the phone next to him and warned him about Jonathan and Martha being brought in. Jonathan would have to go into intensive care as soon as he arrived and be monitored more carefully because even a little bit of panic could trigger another heart attack.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**An hour later**

Josh was working by the entrance when a Luthorcorp helicopter slammed out across the hospital towards the helipad. Josh glanced at Michael before taking off running after it as it set down. He stayed out of the downwash and hailed over the two men that hastily climbed down. The helicopter shut down and in the quiet they greeted him.

"What's this?" Josh asked. "Are you hurt?"

"We've got a tested antidote for the infection." The man told him lifting one of the three silver cases they carried. Josh recognised the cases for medical transportation of liquids.

"How many can you treat?" Josh asked.

"We've got enough here for about eighty doses." The man told him. "We're already manufacturing more but it'll be six hours before its ready."

"That'll treat what we have at the moment, not withstanding new cases." Josh nodded. "Come on." Josh jogged back towards the entrance and spotted Doctor Yeager heading their way. "Men from Luthorcorp, they say they have a cure."

"I just spoke to Lex Luthor." Doctor Yeager nodded. "We've got serious cases upstairs. Take them to all the cases down here, Josh."

Josh accepted that and took the other man with one of the cases around and soon met up with Doctor Havermire.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two days later**

Josh nudged Ryan as he looked across the rather rowdy Talon at where Clark had been distracted from his studying by two rather pretty girls. "Poor Clark." Josh sniggered. "So out of his depth."

Ryan sniggered too. "You go for it, Clark." Ryan spoke normally and Josh saw Clark's eyes narrow across at the two of them.

"He can hear us?" Josh asked Ryan with raised eyebrows only to have Clark glare at him too.

"He could hear us if we were whispering upstairs." Ryan laughed. "And kill us too if we make fun of him much longer."

"Well at least virginity is something the two of you share." Josh grinned at Ryan who choked and then whacked him.

"You want me to say it now and tell Clark?" Ryan threatened.

"I'm sure Clark's a big boy and can handle it." Josh grinned. "Might destroy his nice Farm Boy view on the world though."

"What that you're fucking Bart whenever you can?" Ryan grinned triumphantly even as Clark coughed up a mouthful of coffee right onto one of the two girls. Ryan and Bart both burst into laughter as Clark went bright red. "Probably could have said that differently." Ryan pointed out amused.

"Probably." Josh snorted.

Clark excused himself from the pouting girls and moved up to the counter, ignoring the two of them sitting next to it. "Come on, Clark!" Ryan complained. "Don't be mean!"

"Whelp." Josh snorted and tucked his legs under him to begin drawing in his sketch book again. Ryan was just hyper because everyone had recovered from the infection now and the town was getting back to business with a rather lively air to it. They were hanging around before Josh and Ryan headed back with Martha and Clark after her shift to have dinner and so that Josh could check Jonathan's heart after what had happened.

Ryan jumped up from his seat and slid up to Clark and before Clark could do anything hugged him tightly. Clark rolled his eyes at a smiling Josh before just nodding to accept what had been said. It probably explained to Clark exactly why Bart and Josh were so close and it wasn't like Josh wasn't weird enough anyway. Clark kissed Ryan on the top of the head before turning back to talk to his mother and Josh started a new sketch of Ryan and Clark as they were now. It was a sweet picture.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That night**

Josh sat in his bed in his boxers as he rubbed a cream into his right side over what remained of the scarring from the burns and was just getting to work on his right shoulder when the door opened and shut with a bang and Josh's newly released hair flew across his eyes. Bart didn't seem to feel like wasting time and Josh felt his naked form sitting behind him in the bed, taking over rubbing the cream into his shoulder. Josh groaned as Bart massaged his shoulders.

"Now that's a sound I like to hear." Bart teased him.

"Hey, Bart." Josh tipped his head back onto Bart's shoulder and Bart nibbled his neck.

"You know I'm very tempted to get Clark back for this burn." Bart pointed out. "But it's almost completely healed."

"Leviathan side of me." Josh told him in a mumble. "I won't scar again. Just have the ones from before my first change."

"Still..." Bart complained.

"Bart, shut up." Josh laughed before leaning back and twisting his body. His body shifted into that of the Leviathan but through conscious decision his boxers didn't change with him. The four foot long silver snake ran up Bart's chest making him lie back and slid across his throat even as his tail rubbed up along something rather harder than the rest of Bart's body. He shifted back to his human form and ended up laying flush against Bart, as hard as his boyfriend under him.

"You have no idea what that does to me!" Bart gasped and wrapped his arms around Josh.

"Oh..." Josh smirked and nipped at Bart's neck. "I do. That's why I did it."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**End Chapter**


	19. Facing Mortality

Outsiders

A/N: I'm sorry to all my readers for the abnormally long delay on updating all of my stories. I'm just had a lot on my plate lately. Hope you all enjoy reading this regardless though.

Chapter 19; Facing Mortality

**Josh and Ryan's Home**

"Ryan!" Josh yelled up the stairs. "It's only Clark and his parents coming. You don't have to be _that_ pretty!"

Ryan yelled something less than pleasant back down the stairs at him before Josh heard his door open and soon Ryan stomped down the stairs towards him. Josh watched him approach but blocked his way into the kitchen with his body and raised his eyebrows at him. "What?" Ryan grumbled.

"Teenage angst aside don't you think I'm allowed to ask what's wrong?" Josh asked.

"Nothing's wrong." Ryan tried to squeeze passed but Josh had no compunctions against wrapping his arms around his little brother's waist and holding him still. "Get off me!" Ryan argued.

"Then swear nothing's wrong." Josh challenged.

"I swear!" Ryan complained.

"You're lying." Josh pointed out.

"Then why make me swear!" Ryan argued and struggled again, lashing out and clipping Josh rather painfully against the chin. Josh released him and Ryan gasped and tried to check his face.

"It's fine, Ry." Josh shook his head even as he touched his lip and pulled away bloody fingers. Ryan looked astonished at what had happened and merely stared at Josh in shock. Josh slipped back into the kitchen and gingerly poked at his chin which was hurting.

"Josh?" Ryan edged closer. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit you."

"It's fine, Ryan." Josh repeated just as there was a knock on the front door. "Come in!" Josh yelled knowing that it was the Kents, perfectly on time as always. "I need to check the food. You want to get them drinks?"

"Josh..." Ryan tried just as Clark called out to them from the hallway.

"Just go, Ryan." Josh shook his head and purposely turned away and checked the lasagne in the oven and made sure he had the garlic bread ready to go in at the last moment. He'd been trying to cheer Ryan up for days without much success and had finally resorted to using his favourite people eating his favourite food but by Ryan's mood even that wasn't going to help. Maybe punching his older brother would cheer him up a bit.

"Ryan tried to offer to bring this through but I thought I'd..." Martha stopped with a gasp as she saw Josh's lip and bruising chin. "What happened?"

"Nothing." Josh shook his head.

"Josh, you're still bleeding!" Martha gasped and moved to the sink for a wash cloth. "Sit down."

"Mrs. Kent. I'm fine." Josh argued. Martha looked at him firmly and handing him the wash cloth which was as good as ordering him. Josh sat down and set the cold wash cloth to his bleeding lip.

"Want to tell me what happened?" Martha asked.

"Who says it's anything worth telling?" Josh countered.

"Because Ryan looks about ready to start crying." Martha narrowed her eyes at him. "And even Clark's noticed and we all know that's something in itself."

"I made the mistake of interfering in teenage angst." Josh sighed. "I can't imagine what you and Mr. Kent went through with Clark. I wonder if I was ever like that with my Uncle."

"You still have your moments, Josh." Martha smiled at him.

"I do?" Josh was naturally surprised.

"I think you've just gotten used to keeping up appearances." Martha laughed. "You hide away your 'angst' and deal with the outer world like people expect you to. Though the dark and dangerous persona you give most people is probably assumed to be angst. I mean, look at what you're wearing!"

Josh pulled away the cloth and looked down at himself. He was wearing baggy black jeans with about a dozen blood red streaks that looked like blood and a black shirt undone over a grey t-shirt with more holes in it then cloth. "I was thinking of getting a piercing? What do you think?" Josh asked with a small smirk.

"I'm not going to ask where." Martha laughed before pulling items out of her bag. Including some of her famous muffins that Ryan loved.

"So what has got Ryan so grumpy and how did he end up hitting you?" Martha pressed.

Josh got up and checked on the food before sighing and turning to lean on the counter. "He's got a few problems right now and I've been trying to cheer him up but I think I've just become the overbearing parent without realising it. He's been coming home from school the last couple of weeks and just locking himself up in his room."

"You know there's more than just problems that could make him hide away in his room." She pointed out and levelled Josh a look that had Josh blushing furiously. "Especially for a boy of his age."

"No." Josh shook his head. "It's not _that_. I mean he's already been through all that..."

Martha smirked at him and Josh blushed again. "So what happened today?"

"Just before you pulled into the drive I tried to get him to tell me what was wrong. He tried to push passed me and I grabbed him around the waist. He lashed out to get me off of him and socked me in the face." Josh sighed. "I shouldn't have tried to stop him like that."

"I think for a boy that routinely discovers everyone else's problems right out of their heads he's having trouble expressing his problems because he half hopes people will just know." Martha sighed.

"Oh I know what the main problem is." Josh sighed and sat down on the stool again. "I'm sure there's more to it but I know the main one."

"Is it anything we've done?" Martha frowned. Josh shook his head dramatically and then regretted it as it hurt his chin.

"It's just a friend of his is pulling away from him." Josh sighed before standing up. "Better go join them."

He led Martha through into the living room and settled himself down on the armchair as Martha sat with Jonathan on the sofa. Clark was sitting on the floor by the other armchair that Ryan was settled into with his legs under him. Ryan stared at him guiltily even as Clark and Jonathan stared at him in surprise at his appearance.

"What happened to you?" Clark asked.

"You know me." Josh laughed and winced as it tugged on his lip which had luckily stopped bleeding.

"Meaning you got in a fight at school." Clark rolled his eyes and Josh wasn't surprised he hadn't worked out it was more recent. "I'm surprised I didn't hear about it."

"You get in a lot of fights at school, Josh?" Jonathan looked surprised.

Clark snorted and even Ryan was amused. "Dad! Look at him! Of course he gets in fights!" Clark laughed.

"Clark!" Martha gasped making Clark blush.

"It's okay." Josh shrugged. "Besides you remember my attitude when I first arrived here. I tend to still act like that at school with people I don't really know. Jocks seem to think it's funny to gang up on me. Clark not counting of course."

"I do try to stop them." Clark shrugged uncaringly. "But they soon learn anyway. Three of them ganged up on him the other week and they came away with more bruises than they've ever had."

"You'd think they'd listen to all the stories." Ryan spoke up quietly finally seeming reassured that Josh wasn't about to tell the others about Ryan hitting him. He didn't realise that Martha knew already. They talked for about twenty minutes before Josh slipped out to sort dinner out and set the table. While putting the place settings out Ryan slipped in and sidled up to him. Josh stopped what he was doing and half turned his head to look at his younger brother. Ryan leaned into his side and Josh put an arm around his waist.

"Sorry." Ryan whispered.

"All's forgiven." Josh whispered back. "Just forget it and let's enjoy dinner."

"Okay." Ryan nodded and grabbed the cutlery off of him and started to help set dinner up.

Josh's idea to use dinner to cheer Ryan up a little seemed to work and Ryan was smiling and laughing with Clark by the time they started picking apart Martha's muffins and after Martha and Jonathan left the three boys settled down in the living room to watch a movie and play some games before Clark had to leave.

Josh left Ryan playing games while he did the dishes and put the kitchen back to rights and he was sending Bart a quick text as he sat down to watch Ryan play. "Can we talk?" Ryan asked after he turned off the game.

"About?" Josh asked though he had a pretty good idea. Ryan looked down embarrassed and Josh stood up. "Sure but I'm going to bed. Talk to me there if you want."

Ryan looked up gratefully. Ryan always managed to talk easier when they were in Josh's bed purely because he was relaxed and knew Josh loved him purely because he was letting Ryan sleep in his bed.

Josh took a quick shower and settled into bed with Ryan who was already there. Ryan shifted closer and Josh took the lead. "Your mood?" Josh prompted. "Is this about Jordan?"

"How do you _know_ about that!" Ryan groaned. "I thought you didn't know!"

"You've only been to see him twice in two weeks. He's texted me ten times as much just randomly since then and Charlie asked when the next time you were coming over was because he hadn't seen you in so long." Josh sighed. "Not to mention the less obvious things. You don't hang around with him at school though you seem to want to and... well I _know_ you, Ryan. I know what makes you miserable."

"He's avoiding me." Ryan muttered miserably. "Won't let me anywhere near him. I promised I wouldn't touch him on purpose but he's still not letting me be his friend."

"He's scared he'll touch you by accident." Josh sighed and pulled Ryan closer to hug him properly.

"What's the chances that what he'll see is even bad?" Ryan pressed. "What if I just die of old age or something?"

"And what if you don't?" Josh asked.

"But seeing it will help right?" Ryan tried. "Why's he scared of knowing how I die if that means one day we could avoid it?"

"It's not that which hurts him. It's seeing you die. He sees them in his nightmares afterwards." Josh sighed. "He doesn't want to see someone he cares about dying."

"So he'll lose me anyway?" Ryan frowned. "I mean he doesn't even want to be friends anymore. He's my best friend. He knows what its like to be around people and be afraid of powers telling you more than you want to know. I'm getting my powers back just as he is. Why won't he let me help him?"

"And thus why can't he help you too?" Josh guessed. "He's uncomfortable around others. You don't want him to be uncomfortable around you too."

"I want to be his friend." Ryan wiped at his face and then set his chin down on Josh's chest. "I'm sorry about your chin." Ryan whispered after a couple of minutes of silence.

"I shouldn't have tried to force you to talk like that." Josh sighed. "You've just been so moody the last few days and I wanted to help."

"I like you just being the older brother, Josh." Ryan told him. "I don't need you to be the overbearing parent."

"You took that out of Martha's head." Josh accused and got a smile back for his guess.

"I don't need a parent, Josh." Ryan sighed. "You're everything I need. There's nothing that I'd tell a parent that I wouldn't tell you. Even when I went through the lock-myself-in-my-room phase last year when I got caught up in masturbating."

Josh groaned. Clearly Ryan had caught that part of the conversation too. "Sorry."

"You help me just by being my brother." Ryan sighed. "And with you and Bart I've got all the help I need. Especially since Bart thought it was his duty to try to teach me about sex."

"So Bart gave you the sex talk?" Josh grinned. "That mean I don't have to?"

Ryan laughed and hugged Josh tighter. "Neither of you need to. I've picked up everything I need thanks and trust me, it's true that people think about sex so much."

"You're one of a kind, Ry." Josh smiled.

"We're both one of a kinds. Bart and Clark too." Ryan laughed. "And Jordan."

"And you think we should help each other?" Josh nodded. "I'll go talk to Jordan tomorrow."

"I shouldn't need your help on this." Ryan frowned though he didn't say he didn't want the help as such.

"I love Jordan like he was my little brother. If he's struggling with this as much as I imagine he is then I need to help him." Josh sighed. "As much as I hate the idea of him touching you and seeing how you die it might be what he needs to do."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Josh knocked on the door gently and then glanced at his watch. He had an hour before he had to be at work and because he'd already spent the day at school it felt like this day just wouldn't end. Ryan had gone straight from school to the Kent Farm and Josh was supposed to pick him up after work, homework completed. He doubted he'd get the last bit from Ryan though, not unless Clark did homework with him.

The door opened and Josh smiled up at Charlie Cross who smiled back after the surprise wore off. "Josh? I wasn't expecting you."

"I know." Josh shrugged. "But I've got an hour before I need to be at work and Ryan is with the Kents for the evening. I wanted to come see Jordan while I could."

"Without Ryan you mean?" Charlie sighed but moved out of the way. "If you can get him to see Ryan then you're a miracle, Josh."

"I'm not sure what I'm going to be able to say to make him take the risk." Josh sighed before grabbing Charlie's hand. He scanned him quickly before grinning up at him and moving in for a quick hug. "Just thought I'd pre-empt him."

Charlie laughed and pointed up the stairs but Josh could already hear Jordan's music playing so knew he'd be up there. He toed off his trainers before taking the stairs quietly. He slipped into Jordan's room without knocking since the door was half open and Jordan was lying across his bed doing homework. Josh circled the bed to behind Jordan before flopping down on the bed beside him to look at the Math problem sheets he had spread out.

"Josh!" Jordan cried in surprise as he spotted him. "Dad let you in?"

"Is that a problem?" Josh asked as he rolled over onto his back and looked up at Jordan who scooted sideways to stay next to him. Josh opened his arms and Jordan folded down to rest his head on his chest. Josh hugged him.

"Dad'll kill me if I don't finish these by dinner." Jordan told him but made no effort to pull back.

Josh just held him for a minute before speaking. "Why do I keep ending up as the pillow to sixteen year olds lately?"

"What?" Jordan lifted his head with a frown.

"I spent yesterday evening with Ryan cuddling with me." Josh shrugged. "He's been upset. Enough to sock me in the face yesterday. See?" Josh pointed up at his lip.

"Ryan did that?" Jordan frowned. "I saw it at school but I figured it was somebody you had a fight with at school."

"Nope." Josh shook his head. "Ryan's been miserable for ages so I asked him but he didn't want to tell me. I tried to stop him leaving the conversation and he punched me."

"Ryan did?" Jordan frowned.

"Well, if you would hang around with him you might know how he's been acting." Josh told him mercilessly and watched Jordan's eyes widen in surprise and then fear. "Oi, stop that." Josh poked him. "Since when did you ever get scared of me?"

"Because I hurt Ryan." Jordan sighed. Josh lifted his left hand and put it on the bare skin at the back of Jordan's neck and slowly pulled his head back down to lay on his chest.

"Whether you're the cause of Ryan's misery or not I'm still going to care about you." Josh sighed. "You're still like a little brother to me. I just want my two little brothers to get along is all."

"I can't..." Jordan started before starting to cry. "I miss him, Josh."

"I know you do." Josh sighed and squeezed him tightly.

"But I can't risk seeing him die. I don't want that in my head." Jordan sobbed.

"Is it better not having any time seeing him though?" Josh asked. "He's just not in your life anymore. Is that better?"

"No." Jordan buried his face in Josh's shirt. "I really miss him."

"He's your best friend, Jordan." Josh sighed. "And he knows what it's like to live like you do. For years he had to deal with hearing everyone's secrets, listening to the evil in people. To always know what people really think about him and for most of his life he had to listen to the thoughts of people that just wanted to use him. You and he are so like each other. He knows just by looking at you that he can really have a friend like you."

"But if I see him die..." Jordan whispered. "You're the only one I feel safe around."

"I know, Jordan." Josh hugged him tighter again. "And I'll always be here for you when it gets too much for you. When you just need someone to cuddle with. Someone warm to hold that doesn't come with a vision." Jordan nodded with what he said. "But do you really not want Ryan in your life?"

Jordan shook his head. "I want Ryan to be my friend but..."

"How do any of us know what you'd see if you touched him?" Josh asked.

"His special ability isn't natural though." Jordan shook his head. "It won't protect him from me."

"He doesn't need to be _protected_ from you." Josh instantly argued. "He spent last night curled up with me because he misses you and he hates what you've done to distance yourself from him. He doesn't care if you tell him he's going to die next year as long as he has you in his life."

"But I still don't want to see him hurt." Jordan shook his head.

"Jordan." Josh sighed. "I don't know what you'd see. If I hadn't intervened then he'd already have died as fate would have had it. I cured his brain tumour remember? Naturally he'd be dead. I don't know how your ability works."

"It always just shows how someone dies." Jordan sighed. "It's only been different with you and..."

"And?" Josh tensed. "There's another? Who?"

Jordan buried his face in Josh's chest and shook his head. "I can't tell you. I promised."

"It's not..." Josh sighed and Jordan looked up at him. "I think I know who you're talking about. Do I know him?" Jordan nodded with a frown on his face. "Does Ryan?" Jordan nodded again. "Is he close to Ryan?" He got another nod and there was hope in his eyes. "That farm-boy gets around." Josh rolled his eyes and Jordan giggled and hugged him tighter.

"Clark's strange." Jordan frowned. "He's the only one that actually interfered and saved a person that I saw die. He showed me it's possible to interfere even though it's never worked before."

"Is he involved in how your ability went dormant?" Josh asked.

"I saw myself..." Jordan's eyes widened. "I saw myself die."

"Jordan..." Josh hugged him tightly and kissed the top of his head.

"But Clark saved me and then I didn't see anybody die when I touched them. I thought maybe it was because I was supposed to be dead. I wasn't part of it all anymore."

"It took time to adjust." Josh nodded. "But your ability is natural. It's part of who you are and as horrible as it is I believe that the more you embrace it the stronger it will get and therefore the easier it will be to control."

"So what am I supposed to do?" Jordan asked.

"Let Ryan back in." Josh told him simply. "He's too important to you to shut him out. You'll only make yourself feel insignificant and your Dad and I love you too much to want you to feel like that. Ryan too."

"But if I touch him?" Jordan frowned.

"Then Ryan will know you care about him enough to not let it affect your relationship." Josh told him simply. "Ryan wants nothing more than to be your best friend again. For you to let him into your life again."

"I don't know if I want to see him die like he wants me to." Jordan shook his head.

"Ryan doesn't want you to see him die." Josh shook his head. "He wants you to care enough about him to take the risk of seeing it."

"He doesn't think I care about him?" Jordan frowned. "Hasn't he read my mind?"

Josh laughed and shrugged. "I never know how much that boy reads now-a-days. He only tells me the big stuff he can't keep to himself."

"I'd like to see him again." Jordan nodded. "Do you think I should touch him?"

"That's going to be up to you." Josh sighed. "Maybe it'll take the strain off of you. We'll all know what you see so we can do everything we can to make sure we don't lose him. And you know Clark will do everything possible to protect him so maybe us being able to tell Clark will help. Plus if you do it at a time of your choosing then your Dad and I can be there to help you afterwards."

"I have to think about it." Jordan nodded and sat up and wiped at his eyes.

"I have to get to work. Want to come see me out?" Josh offered and Jordan nodded happily and grabbed his hand, savouring the feeling of skin under his own. Josh led him into the living room to find Charlie first though. "Charlie, any chance of Ryan and I crashing here for the night after work?"

"On a school night?" Charlie frowned but stared into Josh's face and clearly saw something.

"I could run Jordan into school in the morning. It'll hardly stop them getting to school and I think Ryan's got maths homework to do too so they can help each other." Josh smiled and tried to get the man to agree.

"It'll be nice to see Ryan I suppose." Charlie smiled and Jordan winced and moved into Josh's side. Josh hugged him with one arm.

"I'll pick Ryan up after work and go via the house to pick stuff up. See you around ten?" Josh asked.

"Sure." Charlie nodded. Josh turned and kissed Jordan on the forehead.

"Just think about what we talked about." Josh whispered to him even though he knew Charlie could hear him. "Even if you don't want to see Ryan die you don't want to lose him completely either do you?"

Jordan shook his head and hugged Josh tightly before seeing Josh out to his car. Josh drove off towards the Medical Centre hoping that this would all work out the way he hoped it would. Even if what Jordan saw was horrible he hoped that he'd be able to overcome it and be happy with Ryan as his friend. Maybe work with Ryan and his Dad to better control it. The problem right now was that Jordan just couldn't stand watching his father dying in pain with cancer.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Later**

Josh pulled up at the Kent farm but had called ahead as he'd left the medical centre so he wasn't going to go inside tonight. It was already getting late and they had plans. Clark appeared at his open window and smiled through at him. Josh found himself wondering whether Clark had walked there at a normal speed or used his abilities.

"Hey, Josh." Clark smiled. "Ryan told me what happened yesterday and how you got that bruise."

"It's nothing." Josh shrugged.

"That's what I told him. He's still a little worked up about actually hitting you though."

"He didn't exactly aim and punch you know." Josh smiled. "He reacted to me grabbing him and he caught me rather solidly is all. Really it's me that should never have grabbed him."

"Which is what _I_ said." Clark laughed.

"Thanks for taking sides." Josh rolled his eyes as he watched Martha hug Ryan on the porch before letting him escape.

"Always a pleasure." Clark retorted. "Want me to swing by in the morning to head into school with you?"

"Actually we're crashing at Jordan Cross' home." Josh grinned at Clark's shocked look.

"That's right, you knew him from Metropolis." Clark nodded.

"I always looked after him with his visions." Josh nodded.

"Ryan told me." Clark wasn't happy with the conversation anymore and Josh wasn't surprised. "It's not right for Jordan to not be able to touch _anyone_."

"His power doesn't work on me." Josh shrugged but Clark was interrupted as Ryan hugged him quickly before getting in the car. "I'll talk to you at school tomorrow, Clark."

"See you there." Clark nodded clearly realising that going to Jordan's house was a surprise for Ryan and thus he kept his mouth shut. Josh backed the car out of the drive and turned it around by the barn and soon they were heading back towards the town centre.

"How was the evening with the Kents?" Josh asked with a glance at a quiet Ryan.

"Same as always. Got all my homework done." Ryan told him with a short glance back that Josh saw out of the corner of his eye.

"Good." Josh nodded. "Though hopefully you didn't get Clark to help you with your history homework again. The last time was bad enough." Ryan cracked a small smile at that one before frowning and craning his neck to look at the road that had just passed them. "Are we getting shopping first?"

"Nope." Josh shook his head.

"Take out?" Ryan tried again.

"Yup." Josh grinned as they entered town. "Anything in particular you want?"

"Yeah because there's just _so_ much choice here." Ryan rolled his eyes. "Pizza." He declared just as Josh knew he would.

They picked up pizza and Ryan stared at him in confusion as Josh ordered twice as much as normal and he was still frowning at him as they got back into Josh's car. "I know, you really wish you could read my mind right now." Josh told him with a laugh.

"Leftovers?" Ryan tried.

"And you were doing so well." Josh shook his head as if in disappointment. Ryan frowned to himself for the next couple of minutes even as Josh slapped his hand away from the lip of the pizza boxes on his lap to stop him from picking. It wasn't until they turned off the main road towards Jordan and Charlie's house that Ryan straightened up with a gasp.

"No way!" Ryan stared at Josh. "You're going to meddle!"

"Of course." Josh shrugged vaguely.

"Pizza isn't going to change his mind, Josh." Ryan sulked.

"I doubt it either." Josh shrugged. "Luckily for us all you've got me on your side."

"You're going to guilt trip him or something?" Ryan asked.

"Already done it, little brother." Josh smiled across at him. "I paid Jordan a visit between dropping you at the Kent's and going to work. He agreed for us to stay the night tonight."

"You're letting me stay somewhere even on a school night?" Ryan asked.

"That's about what Charlie said." Josh grinned as he pulled the car up into Charlie's driveway and turned off the engine. "There's a bag with a spare change of clothes in the back for you. Grab mine too and I'll take the pizzas."

"Just because you think I'll eat one on the way." Ryan grumbled but took the bags regardless.

They were greeted by Charlie at the door though Jordan hung back in the hallway and only hugged Josh tightly before edging a little closer to Ryan with a red face.

Ryan tugged the sleeves of his jumper down over his hands and hugged Jordan extremely carefully. Jordan ducked his head to sit on Ryan's right arm and slowly relaxed into the hug when it became obvious Ryan wasn't going to trick him into contact. Ryan hugged Charlie briefly before grabbing a seat in the living room. Jordan sat next to him on the sofa while Josh and Charlie took an armchair each. Jordan and Charlie had already been watching something so they settled down to finish while they ate the pizza and before long Charlie announced he was going to bed.

Josh announced soon after that it might be an idea for them all to do the same and they headed for Jordan's room where Ryan took the mattress on the floor while Josh let Jordan curl up in the bed with him. They watched a film on Jordan's TV before Jordan fell into a comfortable sleep. Josh smiled and fell asleep glad that hopefully Jordan and Ryan's friendship had been kick-started back into life.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Three days later**

Josh looked across the surface of his hot chocolate at where Clark, Ryan and Jordan were laughing at something Lana had just said as she served them all. Josh had only just arrived from work and he was supposed to be picking Ryan up and taking him home where Bart was waiting for them except he'd decided he just wanted to watch Ryan laughing so freely with Jordan and Clark.

He'd found out all about Clark's history with Jordan in the last few days as the four came clean about what they all knew. Jordan had seen a series of deaths when he'd first arrived, including one that involved himself but Clark had saved four people then and diverted their destiny. Clark had been touched by Jordan before he'd had the set back with his powers but even though Clark wasn't immune to Jordan's powers like he was immune to Ryan's mind reading Jordan had only seen a vast white expanse that suggested to him the notion that Clark would never die. They had taken it with a pinch of salt since that was rather unbelievable but perhaps Clark's eventual death was just out of Jordan's strength to read. Perhaps Jordan wasn't skilled enough to reach that deep just yet.

He still didn't want to relive that white expanse again so he didn't touch Clark just like he didn't touch anyone else but he seemed more comfortable around Ryan and Clark than he was around anyone else but his father and Josh.

Clark had spotted Josh when he'd taken a seat but with a shake of his head Clark had gone back to teasing Ryan about girls while Josh set himself up with his sketch book to draw the three together. Eventually though the inevitable happened and Ryan turned to look at Josh. Chances are somebody else in the Talon had thought Josh's name and Ryan had picked it out of his head. Josh saw Ryan say something and Clark grinned before telling Ryan that Josh had been there five minutes already. Josh picked up his things and crossed the room and sat himself between Ryan and Jordan who instantly moved closer to him, probably without even realising it. Josh leaned back and opened his sketch book again and started filling in the details to his sketch and they silently decided to hang around there for a while longer.

"Clark? Don't you have chores to do?" Josh asked once he'd finished his sketch and shown Jordan and Ryan.

"How do you know that?" Clark grumbled with a downtrodden look at having to leave.

"You always have chores, Clark." Josh laughed before finishing his chocolate. "Anyway, the rugrats have to be getting home."

"Awww!" Ryan whined.

"You're spending the day with Clark riding tomorrow anyway, Ryan." Josh laughed.

"Oh yeah!" Ryan nodded and turned to Clark. "Can we take Jordan too, Clark?"

"Sure..." Clark started.

"If his dad says it's alright." Josh countered quickly. "Good parenting, Clark." Clark blushed.

"He will." Jordan nodded.

"You assume." Josh told him with a level look. "Remember the last time you and I were near a horse at that carnival when you were twelve?"

Jordan's eyes widened and he blushed furious. "What!" Ryan grinned happily.

"We were at a carnival just outside of Metropolis a few years back and Charlie convinced Jordan and I to go for a horse ride except Jordan decided he wanted to feed the horse candyfloss while sitting on its back making the horse want more and managed to send Jordan tumbling through the mud trying to get to his own rider." Josh smirked at Jordan who hid his face in his hands. "The horse then proceeded to clean every trace of candyfloss off of Jordan's face while Charlie was going to pieces trying to get close enough to rescue him."

"I swear I won't let Jordan feed Kite candyfloss." Ryan promised with a grin at his best friend.

"You'd better not." Josh warned. "I already know about the sugar cubes you've been giving him."

"Clark!" Ryan complained at being ratted out. Clark raised his hands in surrender.

"It wasn't me!" Clark defended. "Blame mum!"

"Smooth Clark." Josh snorted and stood. "Come on rugrats. You too, Jordan. You're getting fed at mine tonight. Charlie's orders."

"Why?" Jordan asked.

"That hurts." Josh intoned. "Your dad has some business to do at home and doesn't want you getting bored and disturbing him."

"Wahoo!" Ryan grinned and tugged Jordan out of the Talon at high speed.

"Boys." Clark laughed with a roll of his eyes.

"You're as bad as them." Josh told the taller boy.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A few weeks later**

Clark was simply miserable. Josh could tell just by the way his body moved that he was in a slump but Josh really couldn't blame him. His relationship with Alicia had been short and it had started on a really crazy tone, what with her trying to kill Lana and being locked up in a mental institution, but Ryan had seen into her thoughts and knew she really was more stable than she had been and she really did care about Clark. Enough now to realise that hurting Clark's friends was hurting Clark.

Josh had just pulled into the Farm to pick Ryan up who had been out riding with Lana but he'd spotted Clark sitting in the middle of the field of cows. Josh parked up by the house, waved at Martha through the kitchen window, and then trekked out towards him. Clark watched him approaching from a good way off but seemed happy for Josh to sit down next to him on the foot of the tractor.

"So, stupid question..." Josh smiled gently. "How you doing?"

"She didn't deserve that." Clark told him softly. "I know you didn't really spend any time with her and you remember when she went crazy but..."

"She changed." Josh nodded. "She learnt the most important thing about caring for someone."

"What?" Clark looked at him in surprise.

"That really caring for someone means you worry about how _they_ feel more than you worry about how _you_ feel." Josh nodded to himself.

"You care about so many people." Clark half turned his head towards him. "Even when you're hurting."

"Do you know why that is, Clark?" Josh drew in a slow breath as Clark shook his head. "I grew up being locked up in a cupboard under the stairs whenever my Aunt and Uncle had had enough of the sight of me. They knew about my magic and even though I knew nothing about it they tried to force it out of me by making me feel as insignificant as possible. Most nights I went to bed hungry or injured."

"Josh!" Clark gasped and gave him a wounded look. "How could they do that to you? How old were you?"

"From when I was one till my Uncle rescued me when I was eight." Josh shrugged.

"You didn't know anything but that life?" Clark frowned.

"Wow, Clark." Josh stared at him and Clark gave him a confused look. "You're the first person to really get to that bit."

"What do you mean?" Clark was clearly shocked.

"Everyone thinks they know what it would be like to go through that but it's different when you don't know any better." Josh looked down at his feet. "Not realising for years that you were the only one that lived like that." Josh suddenly laughed and Clark shot him a horrified look. Josh smiled up at him. "I used to believe that my cousin was so special."

"Because he was treated right?" Clark guessed.

"He was such a spoilt brat." Josh laughed again. "He got anything he wanted and I got nothing. Of course I thought that was just because I was me. That it was the way things worked in the world."

"When you were less than eight." Clark looked down at his lap.

"It makes you appreciate life though." Josh hit Clark on the shoulder lightly to get him to look back up at him. "That's why I love Ryan so much. He felt what I felt when he was younger but he never let it stop him from caring about others. Like I care about others. We appreciate the real trust that people can share."

"I'm glad you stopped here, Josh." Clark smiled at him and put an arm around his shoulders warmly. "If it wasn't for you we wouldn't have Ryan. That's not even mentioning you being around too. Mum adores you."

"That's because she thinks I'm helping you grow up." Josh grinned. "Finally."

"Take that back!"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That night**

Josh and Ryan spent the afternoon and evening having a nice meal at Charlie and Jordan's house before chilling out for the evening. Ryan was sitting on one side of him and Jordan was on the other and Ryan was being rather more cuddly than normal. Josh knew him well enough to know that he had heard something from someone that was bugging him but he also knew not to bring it up. Ryan knew him well enough in return to know that Josh would wait him out.

It was after the end of their first film when Jordan jumped up with a quick breath and darted over to his father and dragged him out of the room with a mutter about hot drinks. Josh wasn't fooled. "What do you know, Ry?" Josh asked.

"He's being obvious isn't he?" Ryan nodded.

"So are you." Josh hugged him gently.

"He wants to touch me." Ryan whispered in awe. "He's asking his dad to let him. He's been thinking about it all day."

"Will you let him?" Josh asked.

"Do I get a choice?" Ryan asked with a hitch in his voice.

"He'd never force it on you, Ryan." Josh assured him.

"But I could stop myself from seeing anything." Ryan frowned. "But he would and he might not want to be my friend anymore."

"Ryan?" Josh leaned his head down against Ryan's. He got a hum in return. "Shut up."

Ryan snorted out a laugh and sat up to hug Josh properly. "Will you let him?" Ryan asked in return.

"What do you mean?" Josh frowned.

"That's what he's worrying about." Ryan smiled. "You not letting him. He's thinking that if his dad says no then he'll do it anyway but he doesn't want to go around you."

"It's his decision." Josh told Ryan gently.

"There goes having to worry about how to ask them." Charlie's amused voice came from the doorway making Ryan and Josh look up.

"You sure about this, Jordan?" Josh untangled himself from Ryan and moved to stand in front of Jordan. Jordan slipped closer and hugged him and Josh put his hand on the skin on the back of Jordan's neck so he could feel the warmth.

"I'm tired of being scared around Ryan. He's my best friend." Jordan told him. "And maybe you're right. Maybe I should try to train this. Maybe it will get easier for me."

"I don't know what it'll do but at least this way you have us to support you." Josh told him.

"So you'll let me?" Jordan whispered.

"If it's okay with your dad." Josh looked over Jordan's shoulder at the pale looking Charlie. Charlie nodded when Jordan didn't speak. Josh led Jordan to the sofa and sat down and put Jordan between him and Ryan. He held onto Jordan to ground him as Ryan offered his hand to him.

Jordan drew a deep breath and looked at Ryan. "Nothing changes." He told Ryan. "Please promise me that?"

"Nothing changes." Ryan nodded before tapping his head. "Whatever you see I'll see right along with you."

Jordan took a shuddering breath and reached out his own hand and before he could stop himself took hold of Ryan's hand in a tight grip. Josh felt Jordan shudder and his body almost seemed to go unnaturally still. Josh focused on the flickering emotions on Ryan's face and he saw tears forming in his eyes. Jordan gave a pained whimper before his breathing sped up in a panic. He gasped out in desperation and seemed to crumble and Ryan straightened up and took his hand back.

Ryan looked at Josh and his own desire for comfort flashed across his expression but he stared at Jordan for a moment knowing that Jordan needed Josh right now. Ryan turned and stumbled up and collapsed but Charlie was there and Ryan got what he'd been going for as Charlie held him tightly and let him cry.

Josh coaxed Jordan around and into his lap and held him tightly, trying to draw him out a little by letting his hands slip up under his t-shirt and onto his bare back. Jordan sobbed and held him as tightly as he could. Josh and Charlie were both muttering soothing things into their ears but Jordan was basically catatonic even after Charlie managed to get a hot drink into Ryan and lie him down on the sofa. Charlie put another movie on to distract everybody and then put a pillow in his lap and let Ryan use him as a headrest.

Jordan stayed in much the same state for another hour before falling into a tired sleep and Josh, knowing that Jordan could have a night filled with nightmares, decided to stay the night. Ryan got Jordan's bedroom ready and then Charlie helped Josh carry Jordan up and get him tucked into bed. Josh got in with him and let Jordan snuggle up to him in his sleep while Ryan sat himself by his feet.

"Ryan?" Josh looked up at his little brother. "Are you alright?"

Ryan drew in a shaky breath but nodded. "Can you tell me what he saw?"

"It's peaceful." Ryan sighed out and made an aborted attempt to move towards Josh. He knew better than to try to get into bed with Josh right now and risk touching Jordan in his current state.

"Give me my phone." Josh ordered.

"What?" Ryan frowned in surprise but he reached for it anyway and watched in confusion as Josh dialled.

"_Josh?"_ Bart's voice came over quickly.

"Are you busy?" Josh asked and Ryan worked out who he was talking to and sagged as if he'd been defeated. He got off the bed and got ready for bed.

"_Not really."_ Bart answered.

"I need you at Charlie and Jordan's house. Jordan's room." Josh barely managed to finish before the connection died. He dropped the phone on the bedside table and looked back to Ryan.

"You didn't have to call him." Ryan sighed before his hair blew across his face as Bart appeared.

"Josh, babe?" Bart frowned as he took in the scene. "What happened? Is Jordan alright?"

"Jordan's sleeping." Josh told him before looking at Ryan.

Ryan sighed and his shoulders dropped. "Bart?" Ryan asked quietly, getting Bart's attention with his miserable tone. "Can I?" Ryan moved closer and Bart quirked his head. Ryan hugged him before he could work out what Ryan was asking but it didn't take long before Bart was hugging him back.

Bart manoeuvred them onto the edge of the bed and set Ryan down at his side before twisting to hold him from behind, uncaringly holding him in Ryan's half naked state. "What's going on?" Bart asked.

"Jordan touched Ryan." Josh told him. "On purpose."

"Oh..." Bart frowned. "Is he alright?"

"He hasn't said a word since but he fell asleep about an hour afterwards." Josh explained. "Ryan was about to tell me what he saw in Jordan's mind."

"Oh, Ry!" Bart gasped. "I forgot you'd see it!" Bart turned Ryan and hugged him tightly.

Ryan chuckled and pressed his face into Bart's shoulder. "Thanks for coming."

"Anytime, little brother." Bart told him.

"What did you see, Ry?" Josh asked.

"It really was peaceful." Ryan told him gently. "It was definitely old age. I was looking around at people too so I think I had family or friends or something. Then I just..." Ryan choked and looked down at Jordan. "I just closed my eyes and that was it."

Bart turned Ryan towards him and kissed his forehead. "Love you, little guy."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	20. Meteor

Outsiders

A/N; I'm sorry for the long delay in this story, and all my others. Suffice to say I've been distracted. I will continue all of these stories regardless of the delays and you can check on my bio to find which are still active. Please include Cast between Worlds in the active list. For some reason, regardless of me editing it, ffnet keeps removing that bit from my bio.

Warnings; **SLASH**

Chapter 20; Meteor

"Time to get up, Jordan." Josh whispered in his ear. Josh was a little knackered himself because Jordan had been tossing and turning most of the night but Bart and Ryan had slept peacefully together on the mattress on the floor to avoid Jordan touching either of them. Jordan had woken up a few times and shifted to cling to Josh tighter each time.

It was the weekend so Josh had happily stayed in bed after waking up. Bart, as always, avoided getting up for as long as possible but when Ryan wanted up Bart didn't like lying on the floor alone. He'd sat on the bed while Ryan showered and dressed and chatted to Josh quietly until Ryan was out of the shower so he could do the same and then Bart had joined Ryan downstairs to find Charlie and eat some breakfast.

That had been almost half an hour ago and in that time Josh had decided to distract both Ryan and Jordan for their Saturday and spare them from their homework in favour of horses. Jordan hadn't been to see Kite in a while and Jordan liked the horses as much as Ryan did for exactly the same reason. Jordan couldn't see Kite's death any more than Ryan could read his mind which meant he could be as cuddly as he liked with the horse and Kite was a very warm and friendly horse.

Jordan groaned in Josh's arms and grabbed the arms around him and tugged them tighter. Josh had shifted them so that Jordan was facing away from him because it made keeping contact with him easier as Jordan tossed and turned in his dreams or nightmares. Jordan was never confused about who was holding him like this since he knew well what it felt like to wake up in Josh's arms.

"Do I have to?" Jordan whispered.

Josh twisted onto his back and pulled Jordan up onto him. Jordan blushed a little at the intimacy and twisted his head to check around for Bart. "Did I see Bart last night?"

"He's downstairs with Ryan and your dad." Josh told him. "Ryan needed a little comfort too last night and couldn't get it from me. So I called Bart."

"I missed Bart." Jordan told him. "But I did get to hug him a couple of times before this came back."

Jordan looked a little upset at the reminder. "Jordan…" Josh sighed. "I believe that as you get older it will get to the point where you can control it. And you can practice on your dad and Ryan and maybe even Bart if you want to risk it."

"No sweat, little buddy." Bart suddenly announced from the bottom of the bed before flopping down on top of the covers and placing an arm around Jordan's back over the blanket.

Jordan shook his head against Josh's shoulder for a bit at the idea of seeing Bart die and nothing more was said on that particular subject. "So fancy spending the day on horseback?" Josh offered and Jordan perked up.

"You think Ryan will let me ride Kite?" Jordan asked. "Kite's the nicest of the three."

"That's really up to Kite, isn't it?" Josh laughed and sat up. If they were going to ride they'd best start off early. "You know what Kite is like if Ryan rides Tyson instead of him."

Jordan giggled. The last time Jordan had gone with them Kite hadn't been happy until both Jordan and Ryan were on him. "Why don't you go shower while I ask Ryan if he wants to go riding?"

"That's a daft question." Bart laughed as Jordan more or less ran for the bathroom to shower. Josh grabbed his dressing gown and let Bart distract him for a few minutes by pressing him back against his bedroom door. Eventually Josh checked with Ryan who instantly leapt up to grab the bag of treats he was allowed to give to Kite and Josh grabbed the house phone to find out what Clark was doing. A day riding with Jordan and Ryan would go a long way to cheering Clark up too. Josh wasn't really a big fan when it came to horses, particularly since Tyson got nervous around his Leviathan. It wasn't the case with Kite who was always happy to see Josh but Ryan and Jordan needed 'adult' supervision and that was either Lana or Clark.

Josh got off the phone with Clark and took a shower and grabbed some of his own stuff he needed to sort out and by the time he was ready Ryan and Jordan were close to starting Josh's jeep for him. Josh said his farewell to Charlie who was going to drive home and do some housework in peace and Josh shamelessly shared a kiss with Bart through his car window before Bart vanished from sight to head for the city and his un-finished business.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A few days later**

"Hey Josh." Clark grinned as he appeared through the kitchen door. Josh rolled his eyes as he dropped his hand from Jonathan's chest and gave him a small shrug to tell him there wasn't anything new to report. Clark had long ago realised that Josh checked his father's heart at least once a week. A dog scampered into the room after Clark and then Ryan. Josh blinked at the golden retriever and looked back at Clark.

"So is this the wonder dog?" Josh asked. Ryan had filled him in that morning about the 'super' dog that Lois had run over. Supposedly some criminals had been injecting the dog, Shelby according to Mrs Kent, with some serum that made it essentially invincible and super strong. The dog seemed to have lost all of its extra powers after the law had found the criminals but Ryan hadn't even found out about it until the day before after everything had already been dealt with.

"You could say that." Clark told him.

"He's Clark if he was born as a dog!" Ryan grinned happily and jumped up onto Clark's back, wrapping his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist.

"And that would be Clark as a horse." Josh announced. Clark gave him a rather demure look before spinning around so fast that Ryn stumbled dizzily once he'd slipped down onto the ground again. "Let's not make Ryan throw up, Clark." Josh admonished as Ryan gave them all a crooked grin and 'accidentally' elbowed Clark in the stomach.

"We were hoping you could look him over?" Martha asked Josh.

"Sure." Josh shrugged.

"I know animals aren't really your expertise." Jonathan pointed out.

"Josh used to volunteer at animal clinics and stuff when the hospitals weren't interested in volunteers." Ryan announced proudly. "And he can fix animals as easily as humans."

"Sometimes." Josh told them. "But I can at least take a look before you take him to a vet in case there's something funky about how he got his powers."

"Funky?" Clark asked.

Josh cocked his head before shrugging and moving around the counter to kneel on the ground. He patted his lap and Shelby jumped forwards to greet him. Ryan settled down next to Shelby and stroked his thick fur. "You're a friendly one for a professional criminal, aren't you now?"

Clark laughed. "I think that life is behind him now."

"Yeah, you're good at breaking crime streaks aren't you?" Josh laughed up at Clark.

"Uh…?" Clark frowned, not getting it.

"He's talking about Bart." Ryan grinned up at Clark. "You know the boy that Josh is…"

He struggled to finish that sentence as Josh covered his mouth with his hand. "Finish that sentence in _any_ way and you're grounded."

"Grounded!?" He mumbled through the hand.

Josh took his hand away and moved back to petting Shelby before he shut his eyes and reached for his powers. His hands glowed as he scanned the dog for signs of illness but didn't find much out of the norm except for the trace of a foreign cell structure in his blood.

"Huh." He frowned before standing and looking at Clark. "Here boy!" He clapped his hands at Clark in the same manner as he had with Shelby. Calling him over.

"Why do I put up with you?" Clark asked as he approached.

"This time please don't push me through the kitchen counter, okay?" Josh teased and Clark gave him a satisfying grumble before holding out his hands. "Aww… no hug for Josh?"

"What _did_ you eat for breakfast?" Clark asked in astonishment.

"What!?" Josh complained. "I'm having a good week!"

"Just hug him, Clark." Ryan laughed. "We'll never here the end of it otherwise."

Clark made the offer and Josh just grinned and jumped him, wrapping his arms around him before reaching up to hold the back of his neck to scan him. He pulled back once he had his answer and then grinned up at Clark. "What muscle…" He teased.

"Uh…" Jonathan started.

"If you hadn't worked it out yet, mum and dad, he's just a little gay." Clark pointed out, taking Josh's actions as permission. Josh grinned over at Clark's parents before giving them a rather less than apologetic shrug.

"What was all of that for?" Ryan asked.

Josh leaned back again the kitchen counter. "Shelby is perfectly healthy. The only thing off is a platelet type in his blood system that shouldn't be… well anywhere. It's not canine."

"What is it then?" Clark asked.

"Well uh… I thought it was human but then realised it wasn't. Hence touching up Clark." Josh announced.

"Josh!" Clark complained.

"Well the platelets in Shelby's blood are a perfect match to the platelets in Clark." Josh announced simply. "So they're… whatever you are."

"Farm boy blood?" Ryan grinned.

"Whatever you had you fed to Ryan didn't you?" Clark shook his head at Josh who just grinned back.

"How did your blood get into a dog?" Martha frowned.

"Well bearing in mind I could stab Clark a thousand times with a needle and not get a drop of blood I'd have to go with the only option." Josh got more serious. "The sample that I was supposed to get from the hospital."

"That wasn't your fault, Josh." Jonathan frowned at him.

"Either way it has to be that sample." Josh frowned as he looked out of the door to think for a moment. "But whoever is running tests isn't doing a very good job."

"What do you mean?" Martha asked.

"Well maybe they are doing a good job and it's just really difficult." Josh shrugged.

"We're not following." Clark declared with a huff.

"Well Shelby was injected with your blood." Josh pointed out. "Your _actual_ blood. Not a replica or anything like that. He has part of the sample itself in him."

"That doesn't sound very long sighted." Martha frowned.

"Exactly." Josh nodded. "Nobody runs tests with the original sample. When the CDC finds a new virus they first have to learn how to grow it before they can come up with a cure. If somebody wanted to run experiments by injecting Clark's blood into animals they'd first want to find a way to replicate it. Evidently they can't."

"Are you sure?" Martha asked.

"I can't be one hundred percent positive about their motives but I can assure you that they've used a part of the sample they have to inject Shelby." He nodded. "Which means they've got very little left and whatever data they got from running tests on it before hand."

"What could they learn?" Jonathan asked.

"Not a clue." He shrugged.

Clark made to say something before stopping. "Could you have a look?"

Josh straightened up. "You want me to run tests on your blood?" He gapped at Clark in surprise and just a little awe.

"I trust you." Clark told him softly. "And I think it's best we have an idea what my blood could do."

"I'm no expert, Clark." He frowned. "I'm not even pre-med."

"You're the best we've got." Martha agreed with Clark and Jonathan nodded his agreement.

"Aww…" Ryan teased.

"I can't be sure what I'll get but I'll at least have a look." Josh nodded. "Come around this weekend once I borrow some kit. We can do some tests and then you can destroy the sample completely with that robot-eyes thing. If we need more tests we can get more blood later. I'd rather not take any chances. But I think any major tests will have to wait for this summer when I can focus on it."

"Thanks Josh." Clark grinned.

Josh just grinned and jumped forwards, more or less glomping the bigger boy. Ryan jumped straight into the hug too, unable to resist.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next week**

"So, did you have fun?" Josh asked as he skipped up the steps into Clark's loft, his den according to Ryan.

"It was… different." Clark mused from his place lounging on his chair. He'd talked to him earlier after one of their Finals and Clark had asked him to come see him whenever Ryan was busy elsewhere. When he'd mentioned that to Ryan the younger boy had just told him that Clark had something to explain and show to him and wanted to do it one on one.

"You look stressed." Josh pointed out.

"Some of us _do_ need to study for exams." Clark rolled his eyes at him.

"Come on… it's biology tomorrow." Josh grinned.

"Ryan said you're applying to do Pre-med at Met-U." Clark told him.

"They've got my application." Josh nodded. "But I'm not sure whether I'll accept if they give me a place or not." Josh shrugged.

"Why not?" Clark came up to his feet. "You'd be great as a doctor!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Clark." Josh smiled. "But it's a long way away from Ryan. I don't know whether I'd live in dorms during the week and come home on the weekends or try to drive in every day."

"You could… you know." Clark made a vague gesture.

"You might get away with…" Josh made the same gesture. "But if I'm doing it every day people are going to start to wonder."

"Well you know I'd look after Ryan." Clark pointed out. "And if something happens you can get back here to him fast enough so…"

"I know." Josh nodded. "But I need to talk it through with Ryan properly."

"This summer?" Clark guessed.

"We're going on a four week cruise." Josh announced before grinning. "Ryan doesn't know that yet."

"Just you and Ryan?" Clark asked.

"Yeah, and three friends I know." Josh grinned. "Bart included. You could come too if you like?"

"I'd like that but with everything going on and Dad getting sick I need to help out around here." Clark shrugged.

"I get that." Josh nodded. "And once we're back I was planning on staying in town so Ryan can spend as much time with you as possible."

"Good." Clark nodded before becoming more serious. "There's something I need to talk to you about. About China."

"And the thing that made you flip out at me back in September." Josh nodded. "Wow, that was a long time ago."

"Time does seem to move." Clark nodded before leading the way out of the barn and to Josh's car. "You mind driving?"

"Better than you driving." Josh shrugged and hopped in. He followed Clark's directions into the woods and eyed the cave entrance they pulled up near. "Isn't this that place that Chloe and Pete went to that Rave?"

"Uh… yeah." Clark asked as he led the way in, checking around in case anyone was nearby.

"I don't see what's going to be all that interesting around…" He stopped as he caught sight of something on the wall.

"What?" Clark asked in confusion.

"I was _going_ to say that I doubt, after everyone that comes here, that there are many secrets for you to share." Josh gazed up at the symbol. "But _that_ is weird."

"What?" Clark asked as he moved to his side and looked up at the elaborate patterning on the wall. "The Kawatche's ancestors made these drawings five hundred years ago after meeting a visiting Kryptonian. It's supposed to be some kind of Prophecy about my arrival and fighting against evil but not even the current Kawatche know the meaning of all the symbols. Some of them mean people in the fight and involved with my destiny."

"That sucks." Josh announced simply getting a surprised look from Clark. "Back in that world I mentioned… well there's a prophecy there about me. That I'll save them all from some evil wizard that's terrorising them. But because of the prophecy people stand back and just let him get on with it. Prophecy says only I can defeat him so they don't even bother to try."

"And that's why they want you back so badly?" Clark asked. "To fight for them?"

"Exactly." Josh nodded.

"Can they do that? Legally I mean. Just kidnap you?" Clark asked.

"According to their laws, yes they can." Josh nodded glumly. "Any person bound by prophecy can essentially be made into a slave to the government to ensure they carry out their part to the government's liking."

"Bastards." Clark hissed.

"And they killed my Uncle to get to me." Josh told him. "And by their laws that was legal too. As they see it my Uncle broke a law that no normal government even agreed to by keeping me from my supposed destiny."

"That's…" Clark started.

"Looks like I don't get a break either." Josh looked back at the wall. "What's that one supposed to be?" He pointed up at the faded red image of a twisting snake forming a deformed hexagon like a crest or shield and in the middle was an elaborate red emblem that jogged Josh's attention.

"They don't know for certain." Clark frowned. "Supposedly that shape, the shield, is used like a family crest for Kryptonians so they think it's supposed to represent a person and according to the lore it's a powerful ally to Naman."

"Naman?" Josh asked.

"That's the Kryptonian that visited them. It's supposed to represent me." Clark told him.

"Huh…" Josh mused, getting another strange look from Clark so he moved up to the wall and touched the head of the snake at the top of the crest. "See the long flair down it's neck?"

"The Kawatche don't know what type of snake it is." Clark shrugged.

"That's because it's a mythical snake, Clark." Josh grinned. "Don't you recognise my poor Leviathan form after you beat the crap out of me?"

"It's a Leviathan?" Clark's eyebrows shot up.

"Yup." Josh nodded and tapped the intricate knot of lines in the centre. "And that is my personalised rune."

"Huh?" Clark asked rather intelligently.

"Everybody has a personalised rune that locks their power into their body. It doesn't mean much to normal humans but to me it's the key to channelling my power through my body. Only I can influence that symbol so there's no danger in people knowing it so most use them as a personal crest or a signature." Josh explained. "That's me though. Leviathan and symbol."

"So you're my most powerful ally?" Clark gaped at him.

"Is that a problem?" Josh asked him cheekily.

"Uh, no!" Clark grinned.

"Good." Josh nodded. "So this doesn't foretell my death or anything does it?"

"They don't really know what it all says." Clark shrugged guiltily. "But it's just all about me versus my greatest enemy."

"And me versus my greatest enemy I would guess." Josh mused as he looked at a symbol near to his. "That skull is the sign of Voldemort."

"Who?" Clark frowned.

"The wizard that killed my parents and that only I can kill according to that prophecy." Josh told him.

"Then you're supposed to help me and I'm supposed to help you." Clark told him.

"I don't want anything to do with the Wizards, the evil ones or the supposed 'good' ones." Josh told him simply.

"But I _will _help you if it comes to that, Josh." Clark told him.

"What did you want to show me down here anyway?" Josh prompted.

"This way." Clark nodded, seeing Josh's need to change the subject. He led him to a crack that ran down the wall and laid his hand on it. A bright light erupted down the line before the crack widened before stilling. Josh eyed it suspiciously but let Clark grab his wrist and tug him through and into a deeper chamber lit by a small hole in the high ceiling. In the centre was the first artificially formed piece of this entire cave. A pedestal rose from the ground with a small indentation in the centre of the top.

"This was what Isabelle was after when she brought Lana, Chloe and Lois in here." Clark told Josh. "Or at least the stone."

"This is the Stone of Fire?" Josh asked as he eyed the clear angle of stone that sat in one third of the crest-like indentation.

"Yeah." Clark nodded. "It's supposed to combine with the Stones of Water and Air to make the Stone of Knowledge that's supposed to be the combined knowledge and wisdom of my entire race."

"And the holy grail to Sorcerers." Josh muttered. "Hence Isabelle's quest." He turned to Clark. "Don't worry, I've got enough to learn on my own without wanting an entire race's knowledge too."

Clark laughed. "I wasn't worried." Clark smiled warmly at him.

"So you went to China after one of the other stones?" He asked.

"Lana and I did." He nodded. "There was a map on the back of that document that Bart stole when he was in town."

"Sounds like him." Josh laughed. "What happened to the stone then?"

"I don't know." Clark sighed. "I saw it but there was Kryptonite all over the place and Isabelle took Lana over again."

"There's no way of severing that tie unless either her task is complete or Lana dies." Josh shrugged. "Do you think Lana might have it?"

"If she does she's not telling me anything about it." Clark shrugged demurely. "But Lex and Jason were there in China too."

"Wonderful." Josh sighed. "The Luthors."

"Not to mention it was the Stone of Water that let Lionel Luthor switch bodies with me and that Stone was lost in the riot too." Clark explained. "I'm not doing all that well at this."

Josh laughed before turning a guilty smile on Clark. "Don't sweat it, Clark. I think things will eventually work out one way or another. You'll have another chance at those stones and I'll help you. I'll try to see what Lana is willing to share with the town recluse."

"I didn't tell you this to get your help like that." Clark frowned. "I told you because I don't want any secrets between us. You know more about my secret then anyone but Ryan."

"And apart from Ryan and Bart you know more about me." Josh nodded.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A week later**

Josh dumped all his stuff inside the living room door before flopping out along the sofa, uncaring as his head fell into Ryan's lap. "That good?" Jordan asked from across the room, his controller in his hand. Ryan shifted his controller away from Josh's head and pulled a lock of Josh's head in reprisal as he focused on trying to get out of the hold that Jordan had caught his character in with Josh's distraction.

"It's awesome." Josh announced. "No more school."

"You still have to attend a week to get your diploma." Ryan pointed out.

"Yeah and dos around for a week." Josh shrugged.

"And your prom at the end of the week." Jordan pointed out. "Are you taking someone?"

"Hmmm…" Josh searched for his phone. "Thanks for reminding me." He announced as he pulled up Bart's contact information and hit dial.

"_Hey, love."_ Bart greeted showing that he was alone.

"Can you get to Smallville for Friday night next week?" Josh asked quickly.

"_Uh… sure?"_ Bart asked in confusion.

"Fancy making people gawk and whisper?" Josh asked just as Ryan realised what he was going to do and choked on a laugh. Jordan frowned in confusion and Josh sent him a wink.

"_You know me."_ Bart announced.

"Fancy being my date to my prom?" Josh asked and Jordan laughed loudly.

"_Sure!"_ Bart declared happily. _"Are we going to embarrass Clark?"_

"Afraid not." Josh denied. "Ryan let that slip by telling Clark I was fucking you at every opportunity."

"_Give me to Ry."_ Bart announced and Josh held the phone up to Ryan's ear. _"For your information it's both ways, little brother."_ Josh heard him say and watched Ryan blush furiously as he brought the phone back to his own ear.

"So, you'll come? Suit and all?" Josh asked more seriously.

"_For you I can do a suit."_ Bart announced.

"Talk to you soon, babe." Josh added.

"_Sure. Tell Jordan I said hi."_ Bart finished up before they shared goodbyes and hung up.

"Bart says hi, Jordan." Josh told the other boy who grinned back happily.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A week later**

Josh laughed as Bart stumbled through the front door of the house and then grinned when Bart turned and put a finger over his own lips demanding quiet. Josh knew Ryan was up in bed probably and knew he wouldn't seek them out until later in the night, if he even did. He'd joked about Bart and Josh having a 'good time' when they got back from the prom so would probably give them space and honestly Josh wanted to make the most of it.

"People would think you're drunk." Josh told Bart who grinned and bounced towards him to hug him. Bart was rarely ever serious so it was normal to see him in a good mood but on occasion he got even more hyper than he normally was and he tended to act rather tipsy when he was like that. Like stumbling over the door sill.

"Just eager to get you into bed." Bart told him rather too loudly.

Josh laughed and put his stuff down on the living room sofa before letting his boyfriend tug him up the stairs and into his bedroom. Josh let Bart lead them since throughout the night he'd started liking the role of dominant in their relationship. Normally they were equal in both emotions and the physical side of their relationship and versatile in the sexual part even though Josh was older and generally more responsible. Today though, with everyone's reactions to the couple at Josh's Prom, Bart and become more and more overt in his protective attitude and Josh had let him lead when they danced and knew that attitude would continue and Josh was happy for that to carry on.

Bart was naked in a second but slowed himself down to slowly take the suit off of Josh's body before walking his older boyfriend back against the bed, laying him out on top of the covers before following until he was crouching over him. Josh took a moment to savour the sight of Bart's body, wishing he could spend more time with him and looking forwards to a few weeks on a Cruise ship this summer with just Bart, Arthur, Ryan and Oliver, being able to go to bed every night with Bart and spend the days with him for weeks on end.

Bart closed the gap and Josh decided there was no way he was going to sleep until they saw the sun rising. There was just too much he and Bart wanted to do to one another.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

"Hey, brat." Bart's voice woke Josh up where he was wrapped around Bart's torso. The sun was pretty bright now so clearly they'd slept in far longer than normal after the events of their prom and four hours of love making. Josh looked up and saw Ryan in a dressing gown in his doorway. "You looking for company?" Bart asked.

"Depends…" Ryan scowled. "Did you clean up afterwards?"

Bart laughed and Josh ducked his head to kiss Bart's neck to let his boyfriend lead the conversation. "We took a shower before we went to sleep and the sheets stayed clean enough." Bart told Ryan seriously. "But you might want to let us put boxers on first."

Ryan blushed as Bart admitted they were naked. "You get the curtains, Ry." Josh requested to give Ryan an excuse to turn away while Bart and Josh sat up and grabbed boxers from their clothing on the floor and pulled them up. The room darkened almost completely as Ryan pulled the black-out curtains shut and Josh rolled back into Bart's side. Ryan took the hint and soon was dumping his dressing gown and crawling into bed on Bart's other side.

"Tired?" Bart asked the younger boy as he wrapped an arm around him and Ryan set his head onto Bart's shoulder and looked across at his big brother.

"Got woken up and kept awake by these really loud guys having sex all night long." Ryan grumbled but he wasn't really upset. "Never heard you two go at it like that before."

"Sorry, Ry." Josh whispered and Ryan shot him a warm smile.

"It's nice to be reminded you're really boyfriends." Ryan told Josh. "But seriously don't be so loud in the shower. That's closer to my room and I know for a fact you didn't go in there to clean off."

"That _was_ the plan." Bart laughed. "Sorry, little man."

"Not little anymore." Ryan butted his head against Bart's with a smile. Bart returned the smile and hugged them both tighter. "I know during this cruise you get to spend more time together and that's the whole point but can we still do this?"

"Hey!" Josh complained. "That isn't the whole point, Ry. The main point of this holiday is so you and I can relax and not have to worry about anything but having a good time. But it's for the family and I know you like Arthur and Oliver enough to be comfortable around them."

"Did you talk to Charlie?" Ryan asked suddenly. After Josh had told Ryan about his planned vacation after their last exams the weekend before Ryan had asked if it was possible for Jordan and Charlie to join them.

"I did talk to him." Josh nodded. "Charlie has to work and can't get away but…" He trailed off.

"But?" Ryan's eyes lit up.

"I called and switched your room to a twin." Josh grinned across at Ryan. "You get to share with Jordan." Ryan's grin was wide and he ended up on top of Bart properly in order to hug his brother tightly.

"Thanks, Josh!" Ryan declared before falling back next to Bart who just grinned at him. They were quiet for a while before Ryan spoke up again before anyone could go back to sleep even if it was nearly eleven o'clock. "How was the Prom? I got a text from a guy at school because they say something weird happened."

"Weird?" Bart laughed.

"Yeah, it almost topped the tale of Josh appearing with a guy as his date. That's spreading fast!" Ryan laughed. "I had a text about that before ten last night."

"Figures." Josh laughed. "Don't really care. It can't cause problems anymore and there was only one person I was willing to go to my Prom with and that's the guy I love."

"Sap." Bart accused but the grin on his face told the truth about his feelings about that declaration.

"Yeah, so anyway, this morning somebody told me a rumour about Chloe going homicidal or something?" Ryan asked.

"Ah, best talk to Clark about that one at dinner tonight." Josh shrugged. "I checked Chloe out for a scrape afterwards but it was late enough. Supposedly Chloe got herself possessed by the ghost of Dawn."

"The girl that died in the car crash?" Ryan frowned.

"Yeah." Josh nodded.

"The girl wasn't happy about not getting to her prom." Bart rolled his eyes. "Tried to burn it down. Clarkey-boy saved the day as always."

"Of course." Ryan laughed.

"It was over fast or else he would have come to get me to help him out." Josh shrugged. "Clark had it sorted before most of us even knew something had happened."

"Glad everyone is okay." Ryan smiled. "But I figured your year especially couldn't get away with a quiet Prom."

Josh laughed and turned his face to snuggle into Bart's neck. He wanted to sleep a little more and then maybe pull Bart into having a soak in the bath with him. If Bart's body felt like his after they'd both bottomed a few times over the course of their activities then he probably wouldn't argue a chance to soak.

"You know…" Ryan sighed as he settled his head down. "It's a little disconcerting using Bart's chest for a pillow when it's got scratches and bite marks on it."

Bart and Josh sniggered as Ryan sighed but seemed rather unaffected by it in truth.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A few days later**

Ryan was fidgeting constantly in the seat next to Josh. They were with Martha in Metropolis, using his Uncle Kevin's old apartment that Josh kept up and running for when he needed to go to the city overnight. Bart and Arthur both had access and they used it on occasion, Bart more than Arthur and it kept either of them from needing to sleep on the streets or steal credit cards to pay for accommodation, like Bart had done with Jonathan's credit card. He'd spotted the tell-tale signs of Bart's frequent presence in the flat and happily noted that he'd used it perhaps the night before them. Josh and Ryan were staying in the main bedroom while Martha and Jonathan were taking the pull out bed in the living room since it wasn't a big apartment. Josh was planning on using it when he had to stay in the city for his college time.

Jonathan had been referred to a specialist in Metropolis, a medical centre rather than Metropolis General and as such Josh wasn't getting any special treatment when it came to finding out what was happening. They'd been in on the Saturday for a whole barrage of tests and today wasn't going any differently. Josh and Ryan were both supposed to be at school tomorrow. Ryan had another week at school but Josh had to go in to sign off everything for each off his classes and empty his locker and the like. There was a chance that Martha and Jonathan would need to stay another day or two but Josh and Ryan needed to drive back that evening regardless.

Josh's phone vibrated in his pocket and Ryan latched onto the subtle noise as something to distract himself with. Josh pulled it out and glanced around the waiting room but there was only a half dozen people in this room so he happily answered.

"Yeah?" He prompted. He never answered with his name just in case.

"Clark's gone crazy again." It was Lois, which he probably should have known since her name was stored but he never really bothered to check.

"Anything more medically specific than crazy?" Josh asked with a sigh. For all he knew Lois was calling to rant about Clark. Her favourite past time but she'd never done that with Josh. They weren't exactly close. Lois lived with the Kents and of course Ryan was there almost every other day so naturally they ran into each other more than just at school where she had been boosting her credits enough to actually get her High School Diploma.

"Chloe brought him back to the farm. He's lost his memories again. Just like last time." Lois told him. "Should have taken him to the hospital but then again you busted him out at the beginning of the year anyway."

"Where is he now?" Josh frowned before glancing at Martha and Ryan. Ryan was watching him steadily with a frown but Martha was too worried about the tests her husband was taking to even realise he was on the phone.

"With Chloe." Lois told him. "I can look after him and all."

Josh wanted to ask lots of questions but he didn't want Martha to worry and Josh and Ryan would be leaving Metropolis in a few hours anyway with or without the Kents. The real problem was that Clark, even without his memories still had all his powers, just without any of his hard-learned control.

"I'll be on my way back in a few hours. I'll be there this evening." He told her before standing up to move away. "I'll call Chloe and talk to her."

He hung up and walked from the room out into the car park with Ryan following him and he dialled Chloe's number and let it ring as he looked at Ryan. "Clark's lost his memories." Ryan's eyes widened in horror. "Chloe took him back to the farm. What do you know, Ry? Why didn't she take him to the hospital?"

"We don't want him to go to the hospital though, right?" Ryan frowned.

The call went to answerphone and Josh hung up but held off from calling again to get answers from Ryan. "What have you heard from her?" He pressed and Ryan sagged.

"Alicia knew the truth." Ryan shrugged. "I don't really know because I didn't spend any time with her and I only caught Chloe's thoughts about it just before your finals and I didn't want to worry you or Clark and it wasn't like she was telling anyone. I checked."

"What does she know?" Josh pressed.

"She thinks he's like others in Smallville." Ryan sighed. "Infected by the meteor rocks. She knows he's fast and strong but that's it."

"Well she's going to get an education." Josh dialled her number again. "I don't want to worry Martha by leaving early. She needs to worry about Jonathan. We'll be back tonight, there's no point leaving two hours earlier when Chloe already knows and is looking after him and I already know there's next to nothing I can do for amnesia. I can heal head trauma but Clark can't be injured like that so something else has done this."

Finally the line connected and Chloe rather uncertainly greeted him. "Josh?"

"Trying to ignore my calls are you, Chloe?" Josh asked sharply. "Why?"

"I was busy." She defended.

"Run me through it." Josh ordered. "Everything you know."

"I found him in the alley next to the Torch without his memory." She explained. "Lois is missing time and we think whatever took a few minutes from her completely wiped Clark's mind somehow."

"Why didn't you call an ambulance or take him to the hospital?" Josh demanded. He felt she was right to not do it but he wanted to know from her.

"Well the last time this happened when I was in witness protection Mrs. Kent and you broke him out." Chloe accused.

"Nice try." Josh sighed. "Ryan reads minds remember." Ryan grinned brightly at the mention and he heard Chloe draw in a breath. "What's he done in front of you already? Has anyone else seen anything?" It was quiet for a moment too long. "Chloe!" He snapped.

"The farm is missing a door. Lois saw that." Chloe told him in a rush. "I covered for that and she's not suspicious."

"There's a lot more to it, Chloe." Josh told her. "I'll be there in a few hours and I can look after him until we get this sorted out but you cannot let him out of your sight. Without his memories he has no proper control and he can hurt someone without meaning to. Watch out for him."

"What else can he do?" Chloe demanded.

"More than you already know." Josh told her. "I'm trusting you, Chloe. You and I have been through this sort of exercise before and in the end you turned out trustworthy and I know you really care for Clark. If you screw this up it'll be the end of his freedom, especially if the Luthors get wind of this."

"Clark is my best friend." Chloe told him simply. "I won't let him get hurt and you can trust me. I know he kept this a secret for a reason and I'm sure he never wanted me to find out like this and I never pictured this to be the way things came out but I'll handle it and afterwards we'll have a good long talk about it so he knows his secret is safe with me."

"Call me the instant something goes wrong." Josh ordered her. Is he there with you?"

"Sure." She declared.

"Pass me to him." Josh demanded.

"He doesn't know who you or Ryan are." She pointed out.

"I know." Josh nodded. "But I still want to talk to him."

There was a scuffle. "Yeah?" The familiar voice came through. Josh switched it to speaker phone so Ryan could hear and speak.

"Hey, Clark." Josh greeted warmly. "I know you don't remember me and that's fine and I'll be there this evening but you and I are friends and I know all about the funky things that are happening that Chloe will talk to you about."

"Who are you?" Clark asked in confusion.

"My name is Josh." Josh introduced himself and then Ryan. "And this is Ryan."

"Hey, Clark." Ryan tried to cover the fear in his voice but it still came out a little upset.

"Who's Ryan?" Clark asked uncertainly.

"Ryan is your surrogate little brother." Josh told him. "You saved his life and I took him in and adopted him. He's my little brother but he's yours too. He's worried about you but you'll see him tonight."

"Okay." Clark agreed warily.

"I promise we'll take it easy on you and we've dealt with weird stuff before." Josh promised. "Well I'll take it easy, I can't promise that Ryan won't hug you and refuse to let go when we get there."

"Josh!" Ryan whined.

"We'll see you tonight, Clark. Maybe when you see us you'll know somehow that you can trust us." Josh promised. "But whether you believe me or not I need to say this. You can trust Chloe. She won't betray your secrets and she won't hurt you but nobody else can be trusted. Don't take anything that anyone else says as truth. Just trust Chloe and stick with her. I know you'll find it hard to trust that but I needed to say it."

"Okay." Clark agreed though he'd probably be cautious with everyone.

"Ryan says it plenty but I don't." Josh told him. "But we both love you. We'll see you soon."

"Alright." Clark seemed keener then about their arrival.

"Love you, Clark." Ryan declared quickly and they heard Clark laugh a little.

"Bye, Clark. Take care of yourself." Josh finished up and let Clark hang up on him. He turned to Ryan. "I'll fill Martha in before we go to find out how Jonathan's doing but it's likely they'll be here for tomorrow at least."

"Alright." Ryan nodded. "Josh? Will he be okay?"

"We'll find a way to fix this." Josh told him. "I promise."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next afternoon**

Ryan and Josh spent the night at the Kent Farm with Clark. Clark seemed wary at first but Ryan soon took care of that. It was hard not to believe that Ryan was telling the truth when he so obviously cared and loved Clark and when Chloe left Josh and Ryan shared more about themselves with Clark, mostly about Josh's magic and healing ability and they shared some stories while curled up on the chairs in the living room.

The next day Josh dropped them all off at school and helped Clark get his paperwork sorted out. The other boy didn't seem to mind that he was taking Josh's word on everything about him that they were putting onto paper and Josh was good at covering for him and most of the people there had no clue that something was wrong. Josh had finished his own things an hour after lunch and headed for the Torch to meet Lois and Clark only to find trouble. According to Lois she'd been on the phone with Chloe who had been snooping around Summerholt Institute in Metropolis when she'd disappeared from the other end of the line.

From there it just got worse. The boy that had been the cause of Lois and Clark's loss of memories was called Kevin Grady. Josh recalled the story quickly since he remembered being in the hospital the year before when the ambulance brought in Kevin's brother and he was pronounced dead on arrival after taking a double shotgun blast to the chest during a hunting trip with Kevin and their father. Josh remembered it because he'd sat next to a nearly catatonic Kevin Grady in the hospital while they dealt with everything.

According to footage retrieved from the Summerholt database however it hadn't been Kevin that had killed his brother accidentally but his own father who was a researcher at Summerholt. He'd used some sort of experimental procedure to make Kevin believe he was responsible to cover for his own guilt. They'd barely worked this all out before Clark vanished from the room and Josh was forced to cover for him with Lois. He was planning on following Clark to wherever he'd gone but instead decided to work on his own angle and called Simon who was already deep in with everything going against Summerholt.

That had led Josh back to Metropolis after just leaving it the evening before. Lois had gone to the Sherriff who, with permission from the County department, was heading the enquiry into Chloe's disappearance. The fact that Simon was there with several court orders was making things move faster but still it was pretty slow going. Josh was hanging back when he felt the shiver go up through him. It was nothing like what had happened with his Uncle or Ryan but he knew instantly with his better understanding on his Sorcery that it was Clark.

He slipped from the building, not liking the feeling of moving further away from Clark, but was soon around the side of the massive complex and away from cameras and passers-by. He pulled up his magic, focused on Clark and with a flash of green light he was deep inside the complex looking down at Clark writhing against a wall. He frowned before turning to look around and spotted jars full of a bright green liquid. Liquid Kryptonite.

He pulled up his magic once more. "Eradico." His spell lashed out and took out not just the Kryptonite but the shelving as well since he wasn't being all that careful. He heard Clark suck in a relieved gasp so turned to check on him.

"What…?" Clark gasped.

"That's meteor rock. You're allergic to it." Josh told him softly and helped Clark to stand. By the time he was up Clark was back to normal and he took off through the room and out of the door. Josh jogged to keep up, keeping an eye out for cameras but clearly whatever was being done in these labs was being kept well away from video records. Clark soon vanished further and Josh was forced to stop and cast another spell to track him through the corridors and he arrived to find a rather shocking scene. Clark was standing over a lab table where Chloe was strapped down. He was taking the full weight of two large tesla coils as everyone looked on in awe.

What was worse was that the Sherriff and Lois were gaping at him too. Clark shoved the coils away from Chloe and looked around. Josh knew him well enough to know he was scared. Josh knew that his Sorcery book had sections on memory alteration spells but he wasn't advanced enough for things like that yet and if he tried it on instinct or through the words he knew from skimming the book he could turn the Sherriff and Lois' minds to nothing more than mush.

He was saved from reacting when Kevin Grady emerged from behind a broken console. He raised his hand towards the Sherriff and Lois and a bright green lightning strike flashed from his fingertips and hit them both in the forehead. Kevin turned to repeat the process on Chloe before spotting Josh and turning to him. The green light flashed but Josh was ready. Green light flickered up from his right hand and a faint green shield appeared in front of him, bouncing the light away.

"It's alright, Kevin." Josh told him as soon as Kevin stopped. Josh figured that Kevin was just trying to protect Clark's secret. "I've known about Clark for months. He's safe with me. Now get out of here before the Sherriff sees you."

Kevin frowned but knew Josh was right and soon he was gone and Josh was helping Clark and Lois free Chloe from the lab table.

The next half hour was busy with Josh giving his own statement to the Sherriff and talking Simon through things. He saw Clark spot Kevin slipping away and gave them a moment before moving up to them. He got the gist that Clark didn't remember him so kept out of it for the time being. He'd fill Clark in on everything he couldn't remember as soon as they were home since Clark needed to know that Chloe knew his secret.

Clark turned and walked back to find Chloe and Lois and Josh pushed away from the wall he'd been leaning on and blocked Kevin's route out the side door. "I know you, don't I?" Kevin asked.

"From the day at the hospital." Josh nodded.

Kevin bit his lower lip and nodded. "Thanks for that."

"It wasn't a problem." Josh told him sincerely. "You needed someone. Everyone does when something like that happens. Clearly your father wasn't thinking of you first. What he did…"

"I'd rather not think about it." Kevin told him softly.

"You did good, Kevin." Josh told him warmly. "I didn't know your brother but I think he'd be proud of you."

"Probably." Kevin laughed. "Um… what you know… I know Clark doesn't remember and nobody else will know anything about me."

"Your secret is safe with me." Josh told him. "Just as Clark's is. I trust you can keep his secret to yourself?"

"Nobody will find out about him, or whatever you just did, from me." Kevin promised.

"What are you going to do now, Kevin?" Josh asked.

"I don't know." Kevin shook his head. "Find myself."

Josh grabbed his wallet and found a card inside that he had a few of. He offered it and Kevin took it quickly. It just had a number on it. "What's this?" Kevin pressed.

"A number of a friend." Josh told him. "He's very keen to help people like you, Clark and me out. I know a half dozen people like us and Oliver is very good to us whether it's legal trouble or just a place to stay, food to eat or just a person to chat too. He'll give you whatever you need to keep your head above the water."

"He won't try to experiment on me?" Kevin frowned.

"Not unless you ask him too." Josh promised. "He'll find answers about your powers if that's what you want or he'll find a purpose for it if that's what you need to do. Or he'll just give you a place to stay and something to eat while you find yourself."

"Thanks." Kevin smiled and slipped the number away.

"And he can contact me if you need something from me." Josh told him.

"What can you do?" Kevin frowned. "You blocked me."

"My gift is more… diverse." Josh decided on eventually. Kevin laughed at that before offering his hand. Josh took it before turning to let Kevin slip away unnoticed. Josh headed out to find Clark to offer him the slow way back home and couldn't help but grin at the idea of Bart and Clark both whining about slow methods of transport.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Three days later**

Josh pulled his car into the drive and grabbed the grocery bags out of the back and was just heading for the door when a gust of wind sent his hair flying around his sweat band. Clark was standing right in his face and Josh just blinked up at him. He'd just dropped Ryan off at school and then gone via the shopping market on the way back home.

"Josh!" Clark demanded. "I need help."

Josh saw the look in his face and dropped his bags on his doorstep. "What?" He ordered, seeing the desperation in Clark's face.

"I can't explain right now. It's about Evan." Clark demanded.

"Lana mentioned something about an Evan." Josh frowned.

"If you can't save him he'll die." Clark told him in a rush, obviously wanting to be elsewhere.

"Where?" Josh demanded sharply.

"I'll take you." Clark declared. "Breathe in."

Josh barely got the chance to do anything before Clark had his medical kit in his hand from the back of the Jeep and then was lifting him up into a vice grip. Josh sucked in a shocked breath and the world blurred around him. His magic flooded up but in the second they were moving it couldn't find a purpose.

Everything lurched back into place and his feet landed on a solid object as Clark moved away from him. He swayed a little and found himself clutching his medical bag. "Lana, you need to go." Clark told her sharply and that snapped Josh back to reality. He ducked around them both and knelt at the side of a boy maybe a year younger than Ryan. The boy, Evan, stared up at him in confusion but something was definitely wrong with him. He was in serious discomfort and he was clutching his chest in obvious pain. Josh grabbed the jacket and shirt and tore them apart to bare the boy's chest just as Clark settled on his other side. Josh turned to grab his bag but Clark just caught his hand.

"Clark… I have to take a look!" Josh argued.

"Clark?" The boy pleaded. "It's going to happen."

"What's going to happen, Clark!?" Josh demanded.

"He's two days old, Josh." Clark hissed. "He absorbs energy and then in an explosion he ages years. He was a baby and then he was seven and now he's Ryan's age."

Josh frowned up at Clark. "Why isn't he in the hospital!?" He snapped.

"They can't help! Lex's scientists looked at him. They can't do anything without a bone marrow transplant from a biological relative." Clark told him in a rush. "But there's no one."

Josh drew in a deep, calming breath, knowing there was nothing he could do without his abilities. Evan gasped and reached for Clark who grabbed his hands. Josh turned to look for Lana but they were on top of a windmill and Lana was running for her car and just by the feeling of power flooding out of Evan he could imagine why.

He turned back to Evan, knowing he had to make a move now or Evan could die. He put his right hand against his face cheek Evan turned to look at him as he set a hand on his chest and started scanning for whatever was wrong. "I'm not going to hurt you, Evan."

"Who are you?" Evan blinked up at them. "Clark?"

"He's going to help you if he can." Clark told him. "You can trust him. He's Josh. Remember I told you about him?"

Josh shut his eyes for a moment, feeling what his powers were saying. Evan's very genetic makeup was twisted by something. It was almost faulty and sucked in every little bit of energy it could to fuel cell division. Josh would have to completely rewrite the faulty coding to make Evan into a normal boy but he had no idea if he could even do it, let alone what they'd end up with. But if he didn't try it could kill him.

"There's no symptom here, Clark." Josh turned to him. "His genetics are wrong. Twisted."

"Can you fix it, Josh!?" Clark demanded sharply.

"I can." Josh nodded. "But there're no symptoms. This energy is just a bi-product. I don't know what it'll do to me. If anything."

"Josh…" Clark pleaded.

Josh nodded and turned to look at Evan again. "Just relax, Evan. Let me help you. I'll take care of you."

Evan turned to look at Clark who dropped down to hug the boy awkwardly as Josh went to work. Power flooded out of him and into Evan through both of his hands and into his neck and chest. The power from his right hand instantly sought out the boy's spinal column and spread along the length of his body while the power from his left spread through his ribs and then joined the rest of the power in seeking out the largest deposits of bone marrow where most of the problem had to be dealt with.

It took longer than he'd ever treated somebody before but he had to eradicate it completely in one go or Evan would suffer from serious rejection issues and die in a matter of hours. As he worked though the draw of energy started to slow and drop away and he could feel the shaking in Evan's body stop.

"How do you feel, Evan?" Clark asked as Josh continued to work, a faint white glow spreading from under his hands.

"Tired…" Evan muttered weakly. Clark looked up at Josh who just nodded to him to show it was okay for Evan to feel that.

Josh finished up but left his hands against Evan in case something unexpected happened. "You can sleep, Evan. Clark and I will take you back to my house before you wake up." Josh told him softly and Evan just nodded to him and his eyes slipped shut.

"Yours?" Clark asked. "Are you sure?"

"You and I need to talk about this." Josh told Clark with a sigh. "I get why you felt you had to seek help from Lex Luthor but you should have come to me before giving Lex another lab rat to try to test."

"Lex isn't going to do that." Clark told him simply.

"He would if he thought he could get away with it." Josh warned him. "And one day he'll decide your friendship isn't worthy working out what your secret is. Be ready for that, Clark."

Clark took a deep breath. "Let's get him back to yours so you can look after him." Clark nodded.

"And we can make some decisions." Josh nodded.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Four hours later**

"So Evan was born two days ago." Ryan summarised for them. "With some sort of genetic flaw because his mum had a meteor power and he should have died earlier?"

"Except now he's just like any other human boy his physical age." Josh explained as he slumped back in his seat with his laptop open on the arm. He was typing emails back and forth with Simon about the situation and Simon was already working with the Judge in Smallville and his firm in Metropolis by phone while they'd chatted by email. "The problem is that there is no medical reason for his recovery. We have to play dumb as to the cause."

"I've already talked to Lana. As far as she's concerned Evan should have exploded along with his power. All she knows is that the time came and nothing happened." Clark agreed. "We just say the same thing."

"Isn't Lex going to want to run studies?" Ryan frowned.

"I know you think he's a friend, Clark. But you can't trust the Luthors to put somebody's health first if there are answers to be had from tests and experimentation." Josh shook his head.

"I don't know he'd do that." Clark frowned.

"Even ignoring Lionel Luthor's own… activities." Josh sighed. "Lex happily backed him up when they tried to seize Ryan for themselves. They weren't doing that for love but because they knew Ryan had a gift and they wanted him."

"You really can't stand them can you?" Clark asked but there was no accusation in his voice.

"I…" Josh sighed but knew Clark had a right to know where his own history with the Luthors came from. "A few years ago, before I came to Smallville I was volunteering at Metropolis General and was given the task of sobering up a drunk in the middle of the night. I got there in time to find the drunk had cut one wrist and was moving onto the other." Josh glanced at Ryan but knew his little brother knew all the details already. "I stopped Lex from committing suicide."

"How does that lead to not trusting them?" Clark looked horrified at the idea of Lex doing such a thing. "Surely he owes you."

"You'd think." Josh snorted. "But Lionel found out and started bribing every member of hospital staff that knew anything about Lex even being there. He forged documents, had paperwork 'lost' and then tried to bribe me, a fourteen year old. I refused to be bribed."

"But you have that confidentiality thing right?" Clark frowned.

"And that's what I told him." Josh nodded. "Regardless of the rest of the staff who accepted bribes I told him that his son's secret was safe with me because, although I'm not a doctor or nurse, I took confidentiality seriously. He didn't believe me."

"So he did what?" Clark frowned.

"He, with Lex's help, took Uncle Kevin to court with faked evidence and trumped up charges." Josh told Clark with gritted teeth. "Tried to make a jury believe that Uncle Kev was abusing me and that for my own good I should be made a ward of the Luthor Trust. Basically they wanted me legally controlled by them and reliant on them for everything I needed."

"That's horrible." Clark leaned forwards in his seat. "What happened?"

"Simon happened." Josh told him simply. "He's not the best Lawyer in the US for no reason. He proved the evidence was fraudulent and the judge threw the case out. Of course the Luthors got away with pretending to have not known about the fakes and were just acting as the concerned citizens but there was cause enough that I've been able to always bring up restraining orders on both Luthors whenever I liked and include Ryan in them. Lex still isn't allowed into the hospital, school or your farm when either of us are there and never to this house."

"That won't work with Evan." Clark muttered to himself, making Josh laugh.

"Since the Judge in Smallville just issued me custodial rights over Evan it does." Josh announced simply.

"How!?" Clark gasped.

"Simon." Josh declared. "You alright with that Ryan?"

"Huh?" Ryan blinked in surprise.

"He's going to have to stay here for a while." Josh told him. "Until we decide on a long term plan."

"Another stray, Josh?" Ryan laughed. "Aren't I enough?"

"You're definitely enough of a handful." Josh agreed and got a bright grin from his little brother.

"You're serious?" Clark checked.

"He needs to have someone with medical knowledge keep an eye on him." Josh nodded. "I'll be taking him to the hospital later to get a full check up to stop the Luthors from arguing about his medical needs."

"You really move fast." Clark shook his head with a small laugh.

"I prefer not to second guess myself." Josh shrugged. "I know you and Lana are close with him but the courts would never allow Lana to take custody of him because she has no experience being a legal guardian."

"Nor do I." Clark agreed.

"Plus she lives in rented accommodation and has no real finances of her own and currently no job." Josh shrugged. "Your parents do have the stable home but you really don't have the finances to take on another mouth, especially with what Ryan eats whenever he's visiting."

"Hey!" Ryan whined.

"Plus with your Dad's tests for his heart… a court might be leery with putting more stress in your household." Josh gave Clark a worried look. He didn't want to fight with Clark over this.

"It's alright, Josh." Clark assured him. "I know you can take good care of him. Ryan loves being your brother and if you can deal with Ryan you can deal with just about anyone."

"Hey!" Ryan huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. Clark and Josh both smirked at him.

"Besides I know you won't stop him from visiting with me and Lana and I can be here whenever he wants me around." Clark nodded to him.

"Well, he won't be up for a few more hours so how about you and Ryan take the Jeep and get us something to eat. Pizza would be good so he can have it cold later if he's up for it." Josh declared. "I need to go check on him." Josh grabbed his wallet and handed Ryan a hundred dollars. "He's your size so buy him a few days-worth of decent clothes so he doesn't look like Clark."

"Oi!" Clark grumbled but let Ryan tug him out of the door.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next morning**

"Still not awake?" Ryan asked quietly as he pushed open the, already partly open, door. Evan was still sleeping but it was still early. Evan was camped out in Josh's bed since their own spare room was filled with junk and so Josh had slept in Ryan's bed with him and thus had probably woken him up when he'd gotten out of bed to shower and check on Evan.

"Not yet. Soon probably." Josh assured him. "Are you really alright with him staying here?"

"Yeah." Ryan shrugged. "I get you like taking people in that need it. How can I complain when you did the same for me and you're the best big brother I could have ever imagined?"

Josh smiled at him. "I meant to ask Clark yesterday but I had too much on my mind. What did he say to Chloe?"

"Not really sure about the particulars." Ryan shrugged as he sat down on the window seat. "I know they talked but I think Chloe told him that it didn't matter what was the truth if Clark needed to hide it all. She told him to take some time to think about what he wanted to tell her."

"What did you say?" Josh pressed.

"How do you know I said anything?" Ryan complained.

"Because I know you." Josh laughed. "When it comes to Clark you'll stick your nose into everything you can."

"Mean!" Ryan whined. Josh caught his eye and Ryan shrugged. "I told him I thought he could trust Chloe and the more people he trusts with his secret the more people that can help hide it with him."

"Hmmm." Josh muttered. "I think I agree."

"Would you tell her yours?" Ryan asked.

Josh shook his head. "I think I'd trust her to know if I had to tell her. But I don't want to spread my secret around unless I really need to."

They fell into silence for a while but were drawn from finding something else to talk about when Evan stirred on the bed with a groan. He stretched before his eyes snapped open and he shot into a sitting position and gaped at the room around him before turning scared eyes on Josh and then Ryan.

"Do you remember me from yesterday?" Josh asked.

Evan nodded. "Yesterday?"

"It's seven in the morning." Josh told him softly. "You've been sleeping it off for almost eighteen hours."

"Who's that?" Evan asked Josh with a glance at Ryan.

"That's Ryan." Josh introduced the two. "I think you said Clark mentioned him to you?"

Evan just nodded. "Where's Clark?" He sounded pretty desperate for the older teen and Josh wasn't surprised.

Josh shifted and gently pushed Evan back against the pillows and drew the duvet up over him. "Clark should be here in an hour or so. He has chores to do around the farm and then he said he'd be straight over. We weren't sure how long you'd be out of it for."

"He's coming?" Evan checked.

"He'll be here. Promise." Josh smiled gently at the physically fourteen year old. "Clark and I decided it was best for you to stay here for the time being. I have the space and I don't mind feeding another person."

"I can't stay with Clark?" Evan looked down at his lap.

"I'm not going to stand in your way when you want to see Clark." Josh assured him quickly. "You don't really know me but it's best for you legally to be here. I can protect you better."

"Protect me?" Evan frowned up at him. "You mean from people like Lex Luthor who might want to run tests on me?"

"Exactly." Josh nodded.

"So you're not going to run tests on me?" Evan checked.

Ryan shifted quickly and sat on the other side of the bed and offered his hand. "Hey." Ryan smiled at him warmly.

"Hi." Evan frowned a little but took the offered hand.

"What did Clark tell you about me?" Ryan asked. "I'm going to answer your question for Josh but I just want to know what you know about me already."

"He said his mom hit you with a car." Evan cocked his head and Ryan sniggered.

"I ran away from my step father and his girlfriend." Ryan nodded.

"He said they found you a place to stay but you got sick and your guardian gave you to some research place and Clark saved you but you were really sick." Evan summarised for them. "But you got better and Clark wanted to take you in but him and his mom and dad decided you'd be better off with Josh."

"Yeah." Ryan grinned at Josh. "Clark's like a brother to me but so is Josh. Clark's just the brother you have fun with but Josh takes care of me. He's a great big brother."

"What's this got to do with tests?" Evan pressed.

"I can read minds." Ryan blurted out quickly. "I can read your surface thoughts and everyone elses except for Josh and Clark. That's why Summerholt was running tests on me and because my ability used to be caused by a brain tumour they accelerated it's growth. I was going to die."

"But I healed him." Josh told Evan. "The same way I healed you."

"The Luthors probably would have wanted to run tests on me and they tried to get custody of me a few times but Clark and Josh stopped them." Ryan grinned. "But even Josh and Clark had to have tests done on me. They had to prove there wasn't anything more wrong with me and make it so legally they'd done everything they could to make sure I was alright."

"What he's trying to say in his own roundabout way is that, yes, I'm going to have to get tests run on you." Josh sighed. "But I promise they won't be bad and Clark will be there with us. I just need to have the paperwork that says you're in perfect health so that somebody like Lex Luthor can't go to a judge and force you into more tests."

"Just health stuff?" Evan asked just as the doorbell rang.

"If that's you, Clark, it's unlocked. Come upstairs. Evan needs to see you." Josh spoke normally and Ryan laughed. Evan gave him a frown but in a few seconds Clark was pushing the door open wide and grinning at the scene. He slipped around Ryan and Josh and pulled an eager Evan into his lap. Josh pulled the duvet up around Evan and Clark to keep Evan secure before whacking Ryan on the back of the head. Ryan grumbled but lost the pout at not getting a hug.

Clark laughed and opened an arm and Ryan grinned and gave him a hug. Evan grinned and instantly seemed to warm up to Ryan. Josh leaned back against the bottom of the bed. "Never thought I'd get Clark Kent into my bed."

Clark choked as Ryan burst into laughter. "This is your bed?" Evan asked.

"You can help Ryan, Clark and me clean up the spare bedroom and then that can be yours." Josh assured him.

"If you stayed with me at the farm you wouldn't even have your own bed." Clark told him softly. "Are you alright staying here?"

"Yeah." Evan nodded. "If you trust Josh."

"I trust Josh just as much as I trust my parents." Clark announced.

"Hey!" Ryan whined.

"And Ryan." Clark grinned.

"You three relax here while I go get some breakfast for us all." Josh announced before standing. He turned back to Evan. "I'll be really happy to have you stay here, Evan. Try it for a week or so and if you don't like it we'll sort something else out, okay?"

"If Clark thinks I'll be alright here I'd like to stay here." Evan told him with a small smile. Josh grinned back before leaving the trio to it.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Three days later**

Josh looked at himself in the hallway mirror with a small glare. He heard Ryan and Evan sniggering behind and turned the glare on them. Evan lost his giggle but Ryan just cracked up, pulling Evan with him. Josh just rolled his eyes. "You look ridiculous." Ryan told him.

"I'm aware of that, Ryan." Josh sighed. He was wearing his graduation robes and they were horribly bright. It was a bright red robe with a yellow sash hanging around his neck. "I look like Clark."

Ryan choked out a laugh of agreement and Evan looked shocked. "Come on, we have a ceremony to get to and then I can finally truly be free of High School." He turned to Ryan with his own grin. "Sucks to be you."

"Hey!" Ryan whined but something sparked in Evan's eyes. He kept it to himself until they were in the car when Josh glanced at him, knowing his newest ward had something he wanted to ask.

"Am I going to school in September?" Evan asked.

"I've got to sort it all out after we get back from holiday." Josh nodded. "I've already told child services that I plan to enrol you at Smallville High with Ryan since I'll be living here and travelling into Metropolis for college. I'll talk to the Principle when I register you and they'll give you some exams to decide what year to put you in."

"What year?" Evan repeated with a frown.

"Well you're definitely smarter than your age." Josh pointed out.

"Being a week." Ryan teased. Josh had been shocked the first time Ryan had teased Evan about how he'd come into existence but Evan saw something behind the teasing. He blushed every time but the look in his eyes told him he didn't mind Ryan saying things like that. Josh imagined it showed Ryan wanted to be closer to him and Josh was glad that Evan knew Ryan accepted him like that.

"Ry…" Josh warned, mostly just because he had to as the responsible guardian. "If you're going to just waste time by being with the other fourteen and fifteen year olds then it makes more sense to put you with an older year. Maybe with Ryan even." Evan looked like he appreciated that idea. "Do you want to go to school?"

"Huh?" Evan turned to him in surprise as they approached the school and the small crowd forming on the field outside for the ceremony.

"If you don't want to go to school I'm sure we can come up with another option. Maybe get you home schooled?" Ryan offered as he parked and they all clambered out.

"No…" Evan frowned. "I think I want to be normal if I can."

"I thought you might." Josh nodded and drew the boy into a hug. "I know things are strange and probably a little overwhelming but just focus on one thing at a time."

Evan nodded again his shoulder, his body shaking a little at all the noise. Over the few days he'd stayed with Josh and Ryan he'd accepted Josh being his guardian but he'd also shown a habit of easily panicking. The boy had basically devoured book after book in the few days before Josh had healed him and while not having that same ability now he was still very quick to pick things up. But when he found something that confused him he tended to panic very quickly and twice in just three days he'd had full out panic attacks that had had Josh holding onto him tightly to calm him down. Josh wasn't surprised and he knew Evan would have teething problems in the world but Josh would look after him.

"I can't come with you?" Evan whispered as he turned to look around them at the crowds.

"Sorry." Josh shook his head. "But Ryan's not going to leave you alone and you'll be sitting with Jonathan and Martha Kent."

Evan winced. "Do they know I…" Evan looked down. "Panic?"

"No." Josh smiled at him softly. "Just me and Ryan know about that, okay? But they'll look after you regardless and if you really panic I'll come running alright?"

Evan nodded miserably but let Ryan and Josh lead him over to where Clark, Lois and the Kents were waiting. Clark hugged Evan tightly before Jonathan and Martha did the same with them all. They'd arrived just in time and soon Josh, Chloe and Clark were heading off to find their places in line. Josh was pleased suddenly that his adopted name started with an 'A' since he was through quickly. With his diploma in hand he stood off to one side as he watched as Clark got his diploma and then Lana's name was called with no sign of her. People muttered when it became clear she wasn't there but they were all interrupted when the tornado siren erupted into life down the street on the main high street.

Josh glanced in that direction just as everyone else did before he twisted around to look at the sky, there wasn't a cloud in sight. Clark rushed over to him just as armoured Humvees and army transport trucks burst around the corner and onto the grass and started ordering an immediate evacuation of everything within fifty miles as a meteor shower had been detected three hours away and would strike the town.

"Clark!" Josh grabbed his arm. "You worry about your family. I'll take care of Ryan and Evan."

"Promise you'll leave straight away. Don't wait. Get straight out of town." Clark made him swear.

"We'll go straight home, grab the important stuff and get straight out of town." Josh promised. "I'll call you as soon as we're clear. I'm going to head to a friend."

"Just keep them out of danger." Clark told him before turning to run with Josh to Ryan, Evan, Lois and the Kents.

"Josh?" Evan was breathing fast and Josh grabbed him in a hug.

"It's going to be alright, Evan. I promise." Josh told him. "We're leaving now. We'll go home and grab some things and take the first road out of town."

Evan nodded against him and they went through a few minutes of farewells before Josh was pulling them out of the chaotic car park and towards his house. Josh sent Ryan running up the stairs to fill a bag but Josh just grabbed his pre-packed one and then stuffed in his diaries and the official paperwork for himself, Ryan and Evan just in case they lost the house. His bag was by the door not five minutes later before he headed down into the basement to cut the power and isolate the gas line. He didn't want to compound anything that happened. On the way back up he went through a quick mental checklist to ensure he wasn't forgetting something and was glad that Jordan and his father were out of town already for the weekend.

He got back upstairs in time to find Evan standing staring at the door with a bag at his feet. They'd gone out shopping over the last few days to get him clothes of his own and a few other things that caught his fancy to make his room seem like his own. But it wasn't really the bag that caught Josh's attention but the shifting of his shoulders. He was borderline to a panic attack. Josh crossed the room just as Ryan pounded down the stairs. He pulled Evan's back to his chest and leaned them back against the wall even as Evan was surprised into a yell.

"Close your eyes, Evan." Josh whispered the familiar words into Evan's ear. "Focus on my chest moving. Make yours move with mine. Breathe with me." He kept up the litany as Evan went limp in his arms. He wasn't in a full out panic attack but it was a close thing. By the time Evan was clam enough again Ryan had put all the bags into the Jeep and turned it around in the drive. Josh could still hear it running as Ryan ran back in.

"Ryan, you'll sit in the back with Evan just in case." Josh announced as he let Evan go and let Ryan pull his new friend and house mate out of the door and into the Jeep as Josh locked up the door with the house dead behind them. They didn't have any neighbours close enough to know what was going on and luckily they were a little out of the main town already so could probably avoid the traffic as the population fled down the highway. He got into the car and turned in his seat to look at Ryan and Evan.

"Are we going to be alright, Josh?" Evan asked weakly.

"We'll be fine, Evan." He promised. "I'm going to take back roads to get out of town and avoid everyone else and they gave us three hours and we've only used half an hour. We'll be far away before anything happens."

"The house?" Evan asked.

"Isn't important." Josh told him simply. "The house can be rebuilt or we can get a new one later if it's damaged. What's important is the two of you."

"And you." Ryan told him sharply. Evan nodded quickly.

Josh pulled the car out before glancing to the side to focus on Ryan. "Call Clark. Tell him we're leaving. Tell him to call once they're out."

Ryan nodded and quickly called the older boy and Josh heard them talking as he focused on getting out of town. He took a bit of a roundabout route to avoid the main highway towards Metropolis and he would have gone for the west towards Grandview except if he headed for Metropolis they could stay at Oliver's mansion on the outskirts without trouble. That reminded him that he had to call Oliver too so when Ryan hung up he turned again.

"Who now?" Ryan whined.

"Call Oliver and check we can crash at his mansion." Josh told him. "Then call Bart, Arthur and Jordan before they hear this on the news."

"Yes, Master." Ryan laughed and did as he was told.

"Oliver isn't there but he says he'll call ahead so the staff are ready for us. He says he'll head back in the morning." Ryan declared after getting off the phone for the third time. "I had to leave a message for Arthur but Bart said he'll be there before we get there. And Jordan and his dad have seen it on the news already."

"Who are Oliver, Bart, Arthur and Jordan?" Evan asked with a frown.

"Oliver is a friend who owns a company and lets us stay." Ryan explained. "He'll love you and you'll like him. He's nice and he knows about what Josh and I can do. Arthur, Bart and Jordan are friends with abilities too. Arthur can breathe underwater, talk to anything under the water and move really fast when he swims. Bart can run really fast on the surface, like Clark can and Jordan sees somebody's future when he touches them."

"I didn't know you knew others like you." Evan stared in amazement.

"We were going to introduce you on holiday. Bart, Jordan and Arthur are coming with us." Josh told him gently. "But Bart's also my boyfriend, Evan."

"You told me you were gay." Evan muttered before nodding. "So Bart will be there. I can meet him? Does he know about me?"

"I mentioned you to him but he doesn't know all the details." Josh assured him. "You can help me tell him later."

"Alright." Evan nodded and relaxed.

"We'll be out of the area in half an hour." Josh told them. "But we'll still be on the road when it happens. It'll be another two hours before we get to Oliver's. Why don't you two try to take a nap?"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two hours later**

"Mr. Ackervey." Joanne greeted them at the door. "You should probably come see this straight away."

Josh nodded and he, Ryan and Evan left their bags in the Jeep and rushed inside. They followed Joanne, Oliver's secretary, through into one of the lounges where the large TV was set to the CNN channel. Blaring across the screen was a snapshot taken over Smallville from a distance. The little emblem in the corner said that this was live and as they watched a few bright red lights shot down from the sky amidst numerous smoke trails and slammed into the ground.

Ryan and Evan gasped in horror as the reporter from a distant helicopter talked about the possible destruction. The view changed to cars locked on the interstate. "As of yet we can only guess at the extent of the destruction happening before our eyes. So few people have ever witnessed a meteor shower of such deadly force but for those in Smallville, Kansas, this is the second meteor shower to devastate the city." The reporter was saying. "For those just joining us we're bringing you live images of the destruction of Smallville in the second meteor shower to hit the Kansas city in sixteen years."

"Josh!" Ryan hissed and Josh turned away from the screen and the dozen staff in the room watching at the tone of his little brother's voice. Ryan was trying to hold Evan up who was going pale as he struggled to breathe. Josh leapt into action and grabbed him tight as the staff jumped up at the scene. Josh struggled to get them to the armchair and Joanne and two of the gardeners leapt to move it close enough. Josh fell into it and pulled Evan into his lap, pulling him back to his chest and taking large breathes. "I've got you, Evan. Nothing is going to hurt you here. Just close your eyes. Come on little brother, you know what to do. Just feel my chest move. Just try to breathe with me. Deep breathes."

Evan was crying as he struggled to breathe but his eyes were locked shut tightly and Joanne had muted the TV so he couldn't see it. "That's it, little brother. Breathe with me. In and out." It wasn't going to work this time though and Evan's erratic breathing was taking its toll but Evan couldn't really hurt himself in the long term with this as long as he was with somebody and after two minutes of Josh trying to soothe him the lack of steady air got to Evan and he slipped into unconsciousness and as it was with panic attacks his breathing instantly steadied and even as he stayed asleep his lungs filled properly and colour returned to his face. Josh shifted him slightly and settled him against his chest.

"Is he alright?" Joanne crouched in front of him.

"He gets panic attacks." Josh told simply. "He'll be alright when he wakes up but we'll stay here so he can get some rest."

"I'll have the kitchens get you something to eat. You've had a rough day I imagine." She smiled. "I'll let Mr. Queen know you've arrived safely."

"Is Bart here?" Josh asked. "He said he'd be here by now."

"He asked me to tell you that he was going to wait nearer to Smallville just in case." She told him with the familiar look she got when she didn't really understand one of her boss's guests. "He was worried when he couldn't reach somebody called Clark Kent by phone."

Josh frowned even as Ryan scrambled for his cell. "He's out of signal." Ryan frowned before changing the number. "God… the Farm's number is disconnected."

"Not just disconnected." Josh muttered as he gaped at the screen. The storm had finished and the helicopter had moved in as the news reported the all-clear. The first house they were looking at was the Kent farm which was in ruins. Ryan jumped up towards the screen with his hands over his mouth. "Easy, Ryan." Josh soothed, trying to help both his little brothers at the same time. "They should have left at least an hour ago." But when he looked at the hole right through the Kent house's roof and all the blackened timbers he couldn't help but worry himself. Ryan slumped down on the floor in front of Josh's armchair and wrapped his arms around Josh's leg and set his head down as they watched the news talk about the devastation of their town.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two hours later**

Josh sat in Bart's lap in Ryan's room where both Ryan and Evan were curled up asleep. Evan hadn't woken up from his panic attack yet but Ryan had finally exhausted himself. Bart had reacted to Josh's call by coming straight to them and Josh was liberally using him as a pillow as he curled up in the younger boy's lap. It was getting late in the afternoon now and he'd spoken to the hospital in Smallville and they needed the help but understood that Josh's priority tonight was his two wards. Josh planned to head back in the morning to help the recovery efforts and would probably end up either with one of the ambulances or at the hospital doing triage.

His phone started ringing and he grabbed it from the arm of the chair before it could wake the boys and answered it without looking at the caller ID. "Josh?" It was Clark's voice.

"Where the hell have you been!?" Josh hissed angrily. "What's going on? Where are you?"

"I'm at the hospital." Clark explained. "Are Ryan and Evan alright?"

"They're fine." Josh told him simply, softening his voice knowing Clark would be worried. "What happened to you, Clark? We saw the farm house on the news."

"Jason Teage kidnapped mum and dad and took them back to the farm trying to find the stones." Clark explained briefly. "They were in the house when it was hit. They're both in the hospital but the doctors are saying they'll be alright."

"And you?" Josh pressed. "It's not like you to disappear like that when it comes to Ryan or Evan."

"The stones called to me." Clark sighed. "I ended up putting them together before I really knew what was happening and then I was in the arctic."

"The _what_!?" Josh gasped.

"Yeah I know." Clark huffed. "I'll explain more when I see you. The thing is Chloe followed me somehow and I had to run her to a hospital before I could come back but my phone didn't work that far north. I'm sorry I worried you, Ryan and Evan. Are they there? Should I talk to them?"

"Yeah. I'll wake them up." Josh nodded and slid off of Bart's lap and shook Evan and Ryan awake. They looked at each other before rolling onto their backs and looking at Josh in confusion. Josh held up his phone and hit the speaker button before handing it to Ryan as he shifted the sit behind Evan and cradle him back to his chest. "They can hear you." Josh announced.

"Hey, Ryan. Hey, Evan." Clark's rather sheepish voice came through.

"Clark!" They both straightened up in relief. Josh smiled and decided to relax while they talked to Clark.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


End file.
